 
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
Coalition for Networked Information  
Information Policies:  A Compilation of Position Statements, Principles, 
Statutes, and Other Pertinent Statements 
 
 
 
Universal Copyright Convention 
 
Source:  International Copyright Conventions Circular 38c,  
Copyright Office, Washington, DC, pages 23-35. 
 
Notes:  Universal Copyright Convention as Revised at Paris, 1971.   
Convention and protocols done at Paris July 24, 1971; Ratification  
advised by the Senate of the United States of America August 14, 1972;  
Ratified by the President of the United States of America August 28,  
1972; Ratification of the United States of America deposited with the  
Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  
Cultural Organization September 18, 1972; Proclaimed by the President  
of the United States of America July 18, 1974; Entered into force July 10,  
1974. 
 
 
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 
 
A PROCLAMATION 
 
CONSIDERING THAT: 
 
The Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on July  
24, 1971, together with two related protocols, the text of which, as  
certified by the Director, Office of International Standards and Legal  
Affairs, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural  
Organization, in the French, English and Spanish languages, is hereto  
annexed; 
 
The Senate of the United States of America by its resolution of  
August 14, 1972, two-thirds of the Senators present concurring therein,  
gave its advice and consent to ratification of the Convention as revised,  
together with the two related protocols; 
 
The President of the United States of America ratified the  
Convention as revised, together with the two related protocols on  
August 28, 1972, in pursuance of the advice and consent of the Senate; 
 
The instrument of ratification by the United States of America was  
deposited with the Director-General of the United Nations  
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on September 18,  
1972, in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article VIII of the Convention  
as revised; 
 
It is provided in paragraph 1 of Article IX of the Convention as  
revised that it shall come into force three months after the deposit of  
twelve instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession; 
 
It is provided in paragraph 2(b) of each of the protocols that it  
shall enter into force in respect of each State on the date of deposit of  
the instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession of the State  
concerned or on the date of entry into force of the 1971 Convention with  
respect to such State, whichever is the later; and 
 
Pursuant to the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article IX of the  
Convention as revised and paragraph 2(b) of each of the two related  
protocols, the Convention as revised, together with the two related  
protocols, entered into force on July 10, 1974. 
 
NOW, THEREFORE, be it known that I, Richard Nixon, President of the 
United States of America, proclaim and make public the Convention as 
revised, together with the two related protocols, to the end that they 
shall be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States of 
America and by the citizens of the United States of America and all other 
persons subject to the jurisdiction thereof. 
 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have signed this proclamation  
and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed. 
 
DONE at the city of Washington this eighteenth day of July in the  
year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred seventy-four and of  
the independence of [SEAL] the United States of America the one  
hundred ninety-ninth. 
 
Richard Nixon 
 
 
By the President:  HENRY A. KISSINGER, Secretary of State 
 
The Contracting States. 
 
Moved by the desire to ensure in all countries copyright  
protection of literary, scientific and artistic works, 
 
Convinced that a system of copyright protection appropriate to  
all nations of the world and expressed in a  
universal convention,  additional to, and without impairing  
international systems already in force, will ensure respect for the rights  
of the individual and encourage the development of literature, the  
sciences and the arts, 
 
Persuaded that such a universal copyright system will facilitate  
a wider dissemination of works of the human mind and increase  
international understanding, 
 
Have resolved to revise the Universal Copyright Convention as  
signed at Geneva on 6 September 1952 (hereinafter called "the 1952  
Convention"), and consequently, 
 
Have agreed as follows: 
 
ARTICLE I 
 
Each Contracting State undertakes to provide for the adequate  
and effective protection of the rights of authors and other copyright  
proprietors in literary, scientific and artistic works, including writings,  
musical, dramatic and cinematographic works, and paintings,  
engravings and sculpture. 
 
ARTICLE II 
 
1. Published works of nationals of any Contracting State and  
works first published in that State shall enjoy in each other  
Contracting State the same protection as that other State accords to  
works of its nationals first published in its own territory, as well as the  
protection specially granted by this Convention. 
 
2. Unpublished works of nationals of each Contracting State  
shall enjoy in each other Contracting State the same protection as that  
other State accords to unpublished works of its own nationals, as well  
as the protection specially granted by this Convention. 
 
3. For the purposed of this Convention any Contracting State  
may, by  domestic legislation, assimilate to its own nationals any  
person domiciled in that State. 
 
ARTICLE III 
 
1. Any Contracting State which, under its domestic law, requires  
as a  condition of copyright, compliance with formalities such as  
deposit, registration, notice notarial certificates, payment of fees or  
manufacture or publication in that Contracting State, shall regard  
these requirements as satisfied with respect to all works protected in  
accordance with this Convention and first published outside its  
territory and the author of which is not one of its nationals, if from the  
time of the first publication all the copies of the work published with  
the authority of the author or other copyright proprietor bear the  
symbol of a lower case "c" inside of a circle accompanied by the name of  
the copyright proprietor and the year of first publication placed in  
such manner and location as to give reasonable notice of claim of  
copyright. 
 
2. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not preclude any  
Contracting State from requiring formalities or other conditions for the  
acquisition and enjoyment of copyright in respect of works first  
published in its territory or works of its nationals wherever published. 
 
3. The provisions of paragraph 1 shall not preclude any  
Contracting State from providing that a person seeking judicial relief  
must, in bringing the action, comply with procedural requirements, such  
as that the complainant must appear through domestic counsel or that  
the complainant must deposit with the court or an administrative  
office, or both, a copy of the work involved in the litigation; provided  
that failure to comply with such requirements shall not affect the  
validity of the copyright, nor shall any such requirement be imposed  
upon a national of another Contracting State if such requirement is not  
imposed on nationals of the State in which protection is claimed. 
 
4. In each Contracting State there shall be legal means of  
protecting without formalities the unpublished work of nationals of  
other Contracting States. 
 
5. If a Contracting State grants protection for more than one term  
of  copyright and the first term is for a period longer than one of the  
minimum periods prescribed in Article IV, such State shall not be  
required to comply with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article in  
respect of the second or any subsequent term of copyright. 
 
ARTICLE IV 
 
1. The duration of protection of a work shall be governed, in  
accordance with the provisions of Article II and this Article, by the  
law of the Contracting State in which protection is claimed. 
 
2. (a) The term of protection for works protected under this  
Convention shall not be less that the life of the author and twenty- 
five years after his death.  However, any Contracting State which,  
on the effective date of this Convention in that State, has limited  
this term for certain classes of works to a period computed from this  
first publication of the work, shall be entitled to maintain these  
exceptions and to extend them to other classes of works.  For all  
these classes the term of protection shall not be less than twenty- 
five years from the date of first publication. 
 
(b) Any Contracting State which, upon the effective date of  
this Convention in that State, does not compute the term of  
protection upon the basis of the life of the author, shall be entitled  
to compute the term of protection from the date of the first  
publication of the work or from its registration prior to publication,  
as the case may be, provided the term of protection shall not be less  
than twenty-five years from the date of first publication or from its  
registration prior to publication, as the case may be. 
 
(c) If the legislation of a Contracting State grants two or  
more successive terms of protection, the duration of the first term  
shall not be less than one of the minimum periods specified in  
subparagraphs (a) and (b). 
 
3. The provisions of paragraph 2 shall not apply to  
photographic works or to works of applied art; provided, however,  
that the term of protection in those Contracting States which protect  
photographic works, or works of applied art in so far as they are  
protected as artistic works, shall not be less than ten years for each of  
said classes of works. 
 
4. (a) No Contracting State shall be obliged to grant  
protection to a  work for a period longer than that fixed for the  
class of works to which the work in question belongs, in the case  
of unpublished works by the law of the Contracting State of  
which the author is a national, and in the case of published  
works by the law of the Contracting State in which the work  
has been first published. 
 
(b) For the purposes of the application of subparagraph (a),  
if the law of any Contracting State grants two or more  
successive terms of protection, the period of protection of that  
State shall be considered to be the aggregate of those terms.   
However, if a specified work is not protected by such State  
during the second or any subsequent term for any reason, the  
other Contracting States shall not be obliged to protect it during  
the second or any subsequent term. 
 
5. For the purposes of the application of paragraph 4, the work  
of a national of a Contracting State, first published in a non- 
Contracting State, shall be treated as though first published in the  
Contracting State of which the author is a national. 
 
6. For the purposes of the application of paragraph 4, in case of   
simultaneous publication in two or more Contracting States, the work  
shall be treated as though first published in the State which affords  
the shortest term; any work published in two or more Contracting States  
within thirty days of its first publication shall be considered as having  
been published simultaneously in said Contracting States. 
 
ARTICLE IVbis 
 
1. The rights referred to in Article I shall include the basic  
rights ensuring the author's economic interests, including the exclusive  
right to authorize reproduction by any means, public performance and  
broadcasting.  The provisions of this Article shall extend to works  
protected under this Convention either in their original form or in any  
form recognizably derived from the original. 
 
2. However, any Contracting State may, by its domestic  
legislation, make exceptions that do not conflict with the spirit and  
provisions of this Convention, to the rights mentioned in paragraph 1 of  
this Article.  Any State whose legislation so provides, shall  
nevertheless accord a reasonable degree of effective protection to each  
of the rights to which exception has been made. 
 
ARTICLE V 
 
1. The rights referred to in Article I shall include the exclusive  
right of the author to make, publish and authorize the making and  
publication of translations of works protected under this Convention. 
 
2. However, any Contracting State may, by its domestic  
legislation, restrict the right of translation of writings, but only subject  
to the following provisions: 
 
(a) If, after the expiration of a period of seven years from  
the date of the first publication of a writing, a translation of  
such writing has not been published in a language in general use  
in the Contracting State, by the owner of the right of  
translation or with his authorization, any national of such  
Contracting State may obtain a non-exclusive licence from the  
competent authority thereof to translate the work into that  
language and publish the work so translated. 
 
(b) Such national shall in accordance with the procedure of  
the State concerned, establish either that he has requested,  
and been denied, authorization by the proprietor of the right to  
make and publish the translation, or that, after due diligence  
on his part, he was unable to find the owner of the right.  A  
licence may also be granted on the same conditions if all  
previous editions of a translation in a language in general use in  
the Contracting State are out of print. 
 
(c) If the owner of the right of translation cannot be found,  
then the applicant for a licence shall send copies of his  
application to the publisher whose name appears on the work  
and, if the nationality of the owner of the right of translation  
is known, to the diplomatic or consular representative of the  
State of which such owner is a national, or to the organization  
which may have been designated by the government of that  
State.  The licence shall not be granted before the expiration of  
a period of two months from the date of the dispatch of the  
copies of the application. 
 
(d) Due provision shall be made by domestic legislation to  
ensure to the owner of the right of translation a compensation  
which is just and conforms to international standards, to ensure  
payment and transmittal of such compensation, and to ensure a  
correct translation of the work. 
 
(e) The original title and the name of the author of the  
work shall be printed on all copies of the published  
translation.  The licence shall be valid only for publication of  
the translation in the territory of the Contracting State where  
it has been applied for.  Copies so published may be imported  
and sold in another Contracting State if a language in general  
use in such other State is the same language as that into which  
the work has been so translated, and if the domestic law in such  
other State makes provision for such licenses and does not  
prohibit such importation and sale.  Where the foregoing  
conditions do not exist, the importation and sale of such copies  
in a Contracting State shall be governed by its domestic law  
and its agreements.  The licence shall not be transferred by the  
licensee. 
 
(f) The licence shall not be granted when the author has  
withdrawn from circulation all copies of the work. 
 
ARTICLE Vbis 
 
1. Any Contracting State regarded as a developing country in  
conformity with the established practice of the General Assembly of  
the United Nations may, by a notification deposited with the  
Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  
Cultural Organization (hereinafter called "the Director-General") at  
the time of its ratification, acceptance or accession or thereafter, avail  
itself of any or all of the exceptions provided for in Articles Vter and  
Vquater. 
 
2. Any such notification shall be effective for ten years from the  
date of coming into force of this Convention, or for such part of that ten- 
year period as remains at the date of deposit of the notification, and  
may be renewed in whole or in part for further periods of ten years each  
if, not more than fifteen or less than three months before the expiration  
of the relevant ten-year period, the contracting State deposits a further  
notification with the Director-General.  Initial notifications may also  
be made during these further periods of ten years in accordance with  
the provisions of this Article. 
 
3. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph 2, a  
Contracting State that has ceased to be regarded as a developing  
country as referred to in paragraph 1 shall no longer be entitled to  
renew its notification made under the provisions of paragraph 1 or 2,  
and whether or not it formally withdraws the notification such State  
shall be precluded from availing itself of the exceptions provided for in  
Articles Vter and Vquater at the end of the current ten-year period, or  
at the end of three years after it has ceased to be regarded as a  
developing country, whichever period expires later. 
 
4. Any copies of a work already made under the exceptions  
provided for in Articles Vter and Vquater may continue to be  
distributed after the expiration of the period for which notifications  
under this Article were effective until their stock is exhausted. 
 
5. Any Contracting State that has deposited a notification in  
accordance with Article XIII with respect to the application of this  
Convention to a particular country or territory, the situation of which  
can be regarded as analogous to that of the States referred to in  
paragraph 1 of this Article, may also deposit notifications and renew  
them in accordance with the provisions of this Article with respect to  
any such country or territory.  During the effective period of such  
notifications, the provisions of Articles Vter and Vquater may be  
applied with respect to such country or territory.  The sending of copies  
from the country or territory to the Contracting State shall be  
considered as export within the meaning of Articles Vter and Vquater. 
 
 
ARTICLE Vter 
 
1. (a) Any Contracting State to which Article Vbis (1) applies  
may substitute for the period of seven years provided for in  
Article V(2) a period of three years or any longer period  
prescribed by its legislation. However, in the case of a  
translation into a language not in general use in one or more  
developed countries that are party to this Convention or only  
the 1952 Convention, the period shall be one year instead of  
three. 
 
(b) A Contracting State to which Article Vbis (1) applies  
may, with the unanimous agreement of the developed countries  
party to this Convention or only the 1952 Convention and in  
which the same language is in general use, substitute, in the  
case of translation into that language, for the period of three  
years provided for in sub-paragraph (a) another period as  
determined be such agreement but not shorter than one year.   
However, this sub-paragraph shall not apply where the  
language in question is English, French or Spanish.   
Notification of any such agreement shall be made to the  
Director-General. 
 
(c) The licence may only be granted if the applicant, in  
accordance with the procedure of the State concerned,  
establishes either that he has requested, and been denied,  
authorization by the owner of the right of translation, or that,  
after due diligence on his part, he was unable to find the owner  
of the right.  At the same time as he makes his request he shall  
inform either the International Copyright Information Centre  
established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  
Cultural Organization or any national or regional information  
centre which may have been designated in a notification to  
that effect deposited with the Director-General by the  
government of the State in which the publisher is believed to  
have his principal place of business. 
 
(d) If the owner of the right of translation cannot be found,  
the applicant for a licence shall send, by registered airmail,  
copies of his application to the publisher whose name appears  
on the work and to any national or regional information centre  
as mentioned in sub-paragraph (c). If no such centre is notified  
he shall also send a copy to the international copyright  
information centre established by the United Nations  
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 
 
2. (a) Licenses obtainable after three years shall not be  
granted under this Article until a further period of six months  
has elapsed and licenses obtainable after one year until a  
further period of nine months has elapsed.  The further period  
shall begin either from the date of the request for permission to  
translate mentioned in paragraph 1 (c) or, if the identity or  
address of the owner of the right of translation is not known,  
from the date of dispatch of the copies of the application for a  
licence mentioned in paragraph 1(d). 
 
(b) Licenses shall not be granted if a translation has been  
published by the owner of the right of translation or with his  
authorization during the said period of six or nine months. 
 
3. Any licence under this Article shall be granted only for the  
purpose of teaching, scholarship or research. 
 
4. (a) Any licence granted under this Article shall not extend  
to the export of copies and shall be valid only for publication in  
the territory of the Contracting State where it has been  
applied for. 
 
(b) Any copy published in accordance with a licence granted  
under this Article shall bear a notice in the appropriate  
language stating that the copy is available for distribution  
only in the Contracting State Granting the licence.  If the  
writing bears the notice specified in Article III (1) the copies  
shall bear the same notice. 
 
(c) The prohibition of export provided for in sub-paragraph (a) 
shall not apply where a governmental or other public entity  
of a State which has granted a licence under this Article to  
translate a work into a language other than English, French or  
Spanish sends copies of a translation prepared under such  
licence to another country if: 
 
(i) the recipients are individuals who are nationals of  
the Contracting State granting the licence, or organizations  
grouping such individuals; 
 
(ii) the copies are to be used only for the purpose of  
teaching, scholarship or research; 
 
(iii) the sending of the copies and their subsequent  
distribution to recipients is without the object of  
commercial purpose; and  
 
(iv) the country to which the copies have been sent has  
agreed with the Contracting State to allow the receipt,  
distribution or both and the Director-General has been  
notified of such agreement by any one of the governments  
which have concluded it. 
 
5. Due provision shall be made at the national level to ensure: 
 
(a) that the licence provides for just compensation that is  
consistent with standards of royalties normally operating in  
the case of licenses freely negotiated between persons in the two  
countries concerned; and 
 
(b) payment and transmittal of the compensation; however,  
should national currency regulations intervene, the competent  
authority shall make all efforts, by the use of international  
machinery, to ensure transmittal in internationally convertible  
currency or its equivalent. 
 
6. Any licence granted by a Contracting State under this Article  
shall terminate if a translation of the work in the same language with  
substantially the same content as the edition in respect of which the  
licence was granted is published in the said State by the owner of the  
right of translation or with his authorization, at a price reasonably  
related to that normally charged in the same State for comparable  
works.  Any copies already made before the licence is terminated may  
continue to be distributed until their stock is exhausted. 
 
7.  For works which are composed mainly of illustrations a  
licence to translate the text and to reproduce the illustrations may be  
granted only if the conditions of Article Vquater are also fulfilled. 
 
8. (a) A licence to translate a work protected under this  
Convention, published in printed or analogous forms of  
reproduction, may also be granted to a broadcasting  
organization having its headquarters in a Contracting State to  
which Article Vbis (1) applies, upon an application made in  
that State by the said organization under the following  
conditions: 
 
(i) the translation is made from a copy made and  
acquired in accordance with the laws of the Contracting  
State; 
 
(ii) the translation is for use only in broadcasts  
intended exclusively for teaching or for the dissemination  
of the results of specialized technical or scientific research  
to experts in a particular profession; 
 
(iii) the translation is used exclusively for the purposes  
set out in condition (ii), through broadcasts lawfully made  
which are intended for recipients on the territory of the  
Contracting State, including  broadcasts made through the  
medium of sound or visual recordings lawfully and  
exclusively made for the purpose of such broadcasts; 
 
(iv) sound or visual recordings of the translation may be  
exchanged only between broadcasting organizations having  
their headquarters in the Contracting State granting the  
licence; and 
 
(v) all uses made of the translation are without any  
commercial   purpose. 
 
(b) Provided all of the criteria and conditions set out in  
subparagraph (a) are met, a licence may also be granted to a  
broadcasting organization to translate any text incorporated in  
an audio-visual fixation which was itself prepared and  
published for the sole purpose of being used in connexion with  
systematic instructional activities. 
 
(c) Subject to sub-paragraphs (a) and (b), the other  
provisions of this Article shall apply to the grant and exercise  
of the licence. 
 
9. Subject to the provisions of this Article, any licence granted  
under this Article shall be governed by the provisions of Article V, and  
shall continue to be governed by the provisions of Article V and of this  
Article, even after the seven-year period provided for in Article V (2)  
has expired.  However, after the said period has expired, the licensee  
shall be free to request that the said licence be replaced by a new  
licence governed exclusively by the provisions of Article V. 
 
ARTICLE Vquater 
 
1. Any Contracting State to which Article Vbis (1) applies may  
adopt the following provisions: 
 
(a) If, after the expiration of (i) the relevant period  
specified in sub-paragraph (c) commencing from the date of  
first publication of a particular edition of a literary, scientific  
or artistic work referred to in paragraph 3, or (ii) any longer  
period determined by national legislation of the State, copies  
of such edition have not been distributed in that State to the  
general public or in connexion with systematic instructional  
activities at a price reasonably related to that normally  
charged in the State for comparable works, by the owner of the  
right of reproduction or with his authorization, any national of  
such State may obtain a non-exclusive licence from the  
competent authority to publish such edition at that or a lower  
price for use in connexion with systematic instructional  
activities.  The licence may only be granted if such national, in  
accordance with the procedure of the State concerned,  
established either that he has requested, and been denied,  
authorization by the proprietor of the right to publish such  
work, or that, after due diligence on his part, he was unable to  
find the owner of the right.  At the same time as he makes his  
request he shall inform either the international copyright  
information centre established by the United Nations  
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or any  
national or regional information centre referred to in sub- 
paragraph (d). 
 
(b) A licence may also be granted on the same conditions if,  
for a period of six months, no authorized copies of the edition in  
question have been on sale in the State concerned to the general  
public or in connexion with systematic instructional activities  
at a price reasonably related to that normally charged in the  
State for comparable works. 
 
(c) The period referred to in sub-paragraph (a) shall be  
five years except that: 
 
(i) for works of the natural and physical sciences,  
including mathematics, and of technology, the period shall  
be three years; 
 
(ii) for works of fiction, poetry, drama and music, and  
for art books, the period shall be seven years. 
 
(d) If the owner of the right of reproduction cannot be found,  
the applicant for a licence shall send, by registered air mail,  
copies of his application to the publisher whose name appears  
on the work and to any national or regional information centre  
identified as such in a notification deposited with the  
Director-General by the State in which the publisher is  
believed to have his principal place of business.  In the absence  
of any such notification, he shall also send a copy to the  
international copyright information centre established by the  
United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural  
Organization.  The licence shall not be granted before the  
expiration of a period of three months from the date of  
dispatch of the copies of the application. 
 
(e) Licenses obtainable after three years shall not be  
granted under this Article: 
 
(i) until a period of six months has elapsed from the  
date of the request for permission referred to in sub- 
paragraph (a) or, if the identity or address of the owner of  
the right of reproduction is unknown, from the date of the  
dispatch of the copies of the application for a licence  
referred to in sub-paragraph (d); 
 
(ii) if any such distribution of copies of the edition as is  
mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) has taken place during  
that period. 
 
(f) The name of the author and the title of the particular  
edition of the work shall be printed on all copies of the  
published reproduction. The licence shall not extend to the  
export of copies and shall be valid only for publication in the  
territory of the Contracting State where it has been applied  
for.  The licence shall not be transferable by the licensee. 
 
(g) Due provision shall be made by domestic legislation to  
ensure an accurate reproduction of the particular edition in  
question. 
 
(h) A licence to reproduce and publish a translation of a  
work shall not be granted under this Article in the following  
cases: 
 
(i) where the translation was not published by the  
owner of the right of translation or with his authorization; 
 
(ii) where the translation is not in a language in  
general use in the State with power to grant the licence. 
 
2. The exceptions provided for in paragraph 1 are subject to the  
following additional provisions: 
 
(a) Any copy published in accordance with a licence  
granted under this Article shall bear a notice in the  
appropriate language stating that the copy is available for  
distribution only in the Contracting State to which the said  
licence applies.  If the edition bears the notice specified in  
Article III (1), the copies shall bear the same notice. 
 
(b) Due provision shall be made at the national level to  
ensure:   
 
(i) that the licence provides for just compensation that  
is consistent with standards of royalties normally  
operating in the case licenses freely negotiated between  
persons in the two countries concerned; and 
 
(ii) payment and transmittal of the compensation;  
however, should national currency regulations intervene,  
the competent authority shall make all efforts, by the use  
of international machinery, to ensure transmittal in  
internationally convertible currency or its equivalent. 
 
(c) Whenever copies of an edition of a work are distributed  
in the Contracting State to the general public or in connexion  
with systematic instructional activities, by the owner of the  
right of reproduction or with his authorization, at a price  
reasonably related to that normally charged in the State for  
comparable works, any licence granted under this Article shall  
terminate if such edition is in the same language and is  
substantially the same in content as the edition published  
under the licence.  Any copies already made before the licence  
is terminated may continue to be distributed until their stock is  
exhausted. 
 
(d) No licence shall be granted when the author has  
withdrawn from circulation all copies of the edition in  
question. 
 
3. (a) Subject to sub-paragraph (b), the literary, scientific or  
artistic works to which this Article applies shall be limited to  
works published in printed or analogous forms of reproduction. 
 
(b) The provisions of this Article shall also apply to  
reproduction in audio-visual form of lawfully made audio- 
visual fixations including any protected works incorporated  
therein and to the translation of any incorporated text into a  
language in general use in the State with power to grant the  
licence; always provided that the audio-visual fixations in  
question were prepared and published for the sole purpose of  
being used in connexion with systematic instructional activities. 
 
ARTICLE VI 
 
"Publication", as used in this Convention, means the  
reproduction in tangible form and the general distribution to the public  
of copies of a work from which it can be read or otherwise visually  
perceived. 
 
ARTICLE VII 
 
This Convention shall not apply to works or rights in works  
which, at the effective date of this Convention in a Contracting State  
where protection is claimed, are permanently in the public domain in  
the said Contracting State. 
 
ARTICLE VIII 
 
1. This Convention, which shall bear the date of 24 July 1971,  
shall be deposited with the Director-General and shall remain open  
for signature by all States party to the 1952 Convention for a period of  
120 days after the date of this Convention.  It shall be subject to  
ratification or acceptance by the signatory States.  
 
2. Any State which has not signed this Convention may accede  
thereto. 
 
3. Ratification, acceptance or accession shall be effected by the  
deposit of an instrument to that effect with the Director-General. 
 
ARTICLE IX 
 
1. This Convention shall come into force three months after the  
deposit of twelve instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession.  
 
2. Subsequently, this Convention shall come into force in respect  
of each State three months after that State has deposited its  
instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession. 
 
3. Accession to this Convention by a State not party to the 1952  
Convention shall also constitute accession to that Convention; however,  
if its instrument of accession is deposited before this Convention comes  
into force, such State may make its accession to the 1952 Convention  
conditional upon the coming into force of this Convention.  After the  
coming into force of this Convention, no State may accede solely to the  
1952 Convention. 
 
4. Relations between States party to this Convention and States  
that are party only to the 1952 Convention, shall be governed by the  
1952 Convention. However, any State party only to the 1952 Convention  
may, by a notification deposited with the Director-General, declare  
that it will admit the application of the 1971 Convention to works of  
its nationals or works first published in its territory by all States party  
to this Convention. 
 
ARTICLE X 
 
1. Each Contracting State undertakes to adopt, in accordance  
with its Constitution, such measures as are necessary to ensure the  
application of this Convention. 
 
2. It is understood that at the date this Convention comes into  
force in respect of any State, that State must be in a position under its  
domestic law to give effect to the terms of this Convention. 
 
ARTICLE XI 
 
1. An Intergovernmental Committee is hereby established with  
the following duties: 
 
(a) to study the problems concerning the application and  
operation of the Universal Copyright Convention; 
 
(b) to make preparation for periodic revisions of this  
Convention; 
 
(c) to study any other problems concerning the international  
protection of copyright, in co-operation with the various  
interested international organizations, such as the United  
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the  
International Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic  
Works and the Organization of American States; 
 
(d) to inform States party to the Universal Copyright  
Convention as to its activities. 
 
2. The Committee shall consist of the representatives of  
eighteen States party to this Convention or only to the 1952 Convention. 
 
3. The Committee shall be selected with due consideration to a  
fair balance of national interests on the basis of geographical location,  
population, languages and stage of development. 
 
4. The Director-General of the United Nations Educational,  
Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Director-General of the  
World Intellectual Property Organization and the Secretary-General  
of the Organization of American States, or their representatives, may  
attend meetings of the Committee in an advisory capacity. 
 
ARTICLE XII 
 
The Intergovernmental Committee shall convene a conference  
for revision whenever it deems necessary, or at the request of at least  
ten States party to this Convention. 
 
ARTICLE XIII 
 
1.  Any Contracting State may, at the time of deposit of its  
instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession, or at any time  
thereafter, declare by notification addressed to the Director-General  
that this Convention shall apply to all or any of the countries or  
territories for the international relations of which it is responsible and  
this Convention shall thereupon apply to the countries or territories  
named in such notification after the expiration of the term of three  
months provided for in Article IX.  In the absence of such notification,  
this Convention shall not apply to any such country or territory. 
 
2.  However, nothing in this Article shall be understood as  
implying the recognition or tacit acceptance by a Contracting State of  
the factual situation concerning a country or territory to which this  
Convention is made applicable by another Contracting State in  
accordance with the provisions of this Article. 
 
ARTICLE XIV 
 
1.  Any Contracting State may denounce this Convention in its  
own name or on behalf of all or any of the countries or territories with  
respect to which a notification has been given under Article XIII.  The  
denunciation shall be made by notification addressed to the Director- 
General.  Such denunciation shall also constitute denunciation of the  
1952 Convention. 
 
2.  Such denunciation shall operate only in respect of the State  
or of the country or territory on whose behalf it was made and shall not  
take effect until twelve months after the date of receipt of the  
notification. 
 
ARTICLE XV 
 
A dispute between two or more Contracting States concerning  
the interpretation or application of this Convention, not settled by  
negotiation, shall, unless the States concerned agree on some other  
method of settlement, be brought before the International Court of  
Justice for determination by it. 
 
ARTICLE XVI 
 
1.  This Convention shall be established in English, French, and  
Spanish. The three texts shall be signed and shall be equally  
authoritative. 
 
2.  Official texts of this Convention shall be established by the  
Director-General, after consultation with the governments concerned, in  
Arabic, German, Italian, and Portuguese. 
 
3.  Any Contracting State or group of Contracting States shall be  
entitled to have established by the Director-General other texts in the  
language of its choice by arrangement with the Director-General. 
 
4.  All such texts shall be annexed to the signed texts of this  
Convention. 
 
ARTICLE XVII 
 
1. This Convention shall not in any way affect the provisions of  
the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works  
or membership in the Union created by that Convention. 
 
2. In application of the foregoing paragraph, a declaration has  
been annexed to the present Article.  This declaration is an integral  
part of this Convention for the States bound by the Berne Convention on  
1 January 1951, or which have or may become bound to it at a later date.   
The signature of this Convention by such States shall also constitute  
signature of the said declaration, and ratification, acceptance or  
accession by such States shall include the declaration, as well as this  
Convention. 
 
ARTICLE XVIII 
 
This Convention shall not abrogate multilateral or bilateral  
copyright conventions or arrangements that are or may be in effect  
exclusively between two or more American Republics.  In the event of  
any difference either between the provisions of such existing  
conventions or arrangements and the provisions of this Convention, or  
between the provisions of this Convention and those of any new  
convention or arrangement which may be formulated between two or  
more American Republics after this Convention comes into force, the  
convention or arrangement most recently formulated shall prevail  
between the parties thereto. Rights in works acquired in any  
Contracting State under existing conventions or arrangements before the  
date this Convention comes into force in such State shall not be  
affected. 
 
ARTICLE XIX 
 
This Convention shall not abrogate multilateral or bilateral  
conventions or arrangements in effect between two or more Contracting  
States.  In the event of any difference between the provisions of such  
existing conventions or arrangements and the provisions of this  
Convention, the provisions of this Convention shall prevail.  Rights in  
works acquired in any Contracting State under existing conventions or  
arrangements before the date on which this Convention comes into force  
in such State shall not be affected.  Nothing in this Article shall affect  
the provisions of Articles XVII and XVIII. 
 
ARTICLE XX 
 
Reservations to this Convention shall not be permitted. 
 
ARTICLE XXI 
 
1. The Director-General shall send duly certified copies of this  
Convention to the States interested and to the Secretary-General of the  
United Nations for registration by him. 
 
2. He shall also inform all interested States of the  
ratifications, acceptances, accessions which have been deposited, the  
date on which this Convention comes into force, the notifications under  
this Convention and denunciations under Article XIV. 
 
APPENDIX DECLARATION RELATING TO ARTICLE XVII 
 
The States which are members of the International Union for  
the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (hereinafter called "the  
Berne Union") and which are signatories of this Convention, 
 
Desiring to reinforce their mutual relations on the basis of the  
said Union and to avoid any conflict which might result from the  
coexistence of the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright  
Convention, 
 
Recognizing the temporary need of some States to adjust their  
level of copyright protection in accordance with their stage of cultural,  
social and economic development, 
 
Have, by common agreement, accepted the terms of the  
following declaration: 
 
(a) Except as provided by paragraph (b), works which,  
according to the Berne Convention, have as their country of  
origin a country which has withdrawn from the Berne Union  
after 1 January 1951, shall not be protected by the Universal  
Copyright Convention in the countries of the Berne Union; 
 
(b) Where a Contracting State is regarded as a developing  
country in conformity with the established practice of the  
General Assembly of the United Nations, and has deposited  
with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational,  
Scientific and Cultural Organization, at the time of its  
withdrawal from the Berne Union, a notification to the effect  
that it regards itself as a developing country, the provisions of  
paragraph (a) shall not be applicable as long as such State  
may avail itself of the exceptions provided for by this  
Convention in accordance with Article Vbis;  
 
(c) The Universal Copyright Convention shall not be  
applicable to the relationships among countries of the Berne  
Union in so far as it relates to the protection of works having as  
their country of origin, within the meaning of the Berne  
Convention, a country of the Berne Union. 
 
 
RESOLUTION CONCERNING ARTICLE XI 
 
The Conference for Revision of the Universal Copyright  
Convention, Having considered the problems relating to the  
Intergovernmental Committee provided for in Article XI of this  
Convention, to which this resolution is annexed, 
 
Resolves that: 
 
1. At its inception, the Committee shall include representative  
of the twelve States members of the Intergovernmental Committee  
established under Article XI of the 1952 Convention and the resolution  
annexed to it, and, in addition, representatives of the following States:  
Algeria, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Senegal and Yugoslavia. 
 
2. Any States that are not party to the 1952 Convention and  
have not acceded to this Convention before the first ordinary session of  
the Committee following the entry into force of this Convention shall  
be replaced by other States to be selected by the Committee at its first  
ordinary session in conformity with the provisions of Article XI (2) and  
(3). 
 
3. As soon as this Convention comes into force the Committee as  
provided for in paragraph 1 shall be deemed to be constituted in  
accordance with Article XI of this Convention. 
 
4. A session of the Committee shall take place with one year  
after the coming into force of this Convention; thereafter the  
Committee shall meet in ordinary session at intervals of not more than  
two years. 
 
5. The Committee shall elect its Chairman and two Vice- 
Chairmen.  It shall establish its Rules of Procedure having regard to  
the following principles: 
 
(a) The normal duration of the term of office of the members  
represented on the Committee shall be six years with one-third  
retiring every two years, it being however understood that, of  
the original terms of office, one-third shall expire at the end of  
the Committee's second ordinary session which will follow the  
entry into force of this Convention, a further third at the end of  
its third ordinary session, and the remaining third at the end of  
its fourth ordinary session. 
 
(b) The rules governing the procedure whereby the  
Committee shall fill vacancies, the order in which terms of  
membership expire, eligibility for reelection, and election  
procedures, shall be based upon a balancing of the needs for  
continuity of membership and rotation of representation, as  
well as the considerations set out in Article XI (3). 
 
Expresses the wish that the United Nations Educational,  
Scientific and Cultural Organization provide its Secretariat. 
 
In faith whereof the undersigned, having deposited their  
respective full powers, have signed this Convention. 
 
DONE at Paris, this twenty-fourth day of July 1971, in a single copy. 
 
 
PROTOCOL 1 
 
Annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as revised at  
Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to  
works of Stateless persons and refugees 
 
The States party hereto, being also party to the Universal  
Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 (hereinafter  
called "the 1971 Convention"),  
 
Have accepted the following provisions: 
 
1. Stateless persons and refugees who have their habitual  
residence in a State party to this Protocol shall, for the purposes of the  
1971 Convention, be assimilated to the nationals of that State. 
 
2. (a) This Protocol shall be signed and shall be subject to  
ratification or acceptance, or may be acceded to, as if the  
provisions of Article VIII of the 1971 Convention applied  
hereto. 
 
(b) This Protocol shall enter into force in respect of each  
State, on the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification,  
acceptance or accession of the State concerned or on the date of  
entry into force of the 1971 Convention with respect to such  
State, whichever is the later. 
 
(c) On the entry into force of this Protocol in respect of a  
State not party to Protocol 1 annexed to the 1952 Convention,  
the latter Protocol shall be deemed to enter into force in respect  
of such State. 
 
In faith whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized  
thereto, have signed this Protocol. 
 
Done at Paris this twenty-fourth day of July 1971, in the  
English, French and Spanish languages, the three texts being equally  
authoritative, in a single copy which shall be deposited with the  
Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  
Cultural Organization.  The Director-General shall send certified  
copies to the signatory States, and to the Secretary-General of the  
United Nations for registration. 
 
PROTOCOL 2 
 
Annexed to the Universal Copyright convention as revised at  
Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to  
the works of certain international organizations 
 
The States party hereto, being also party to the Universal  
Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 (hereinafter  
called "the 1971 Convention"), 
 
Have accepted the following provisions: 
 
1. (a) The protection provided for in Article II (1) of the 1971  
Convention shall apply to works published for the first time by  
the United Nations by the Specialized Agencies in  
relationship therewith, or by the Organization of American  
States. 
 
(b) Similarly, Article II (2) of the 1971 Convention shall  
apply to the said organization or agencies. 
 
2. (a) This Protocol shall be signed and shall be subject to  
ratification or acceptance, or may be acceded to, as if the  
provisions of Article VIII of the 1971 Convention applied  
hereto. 
 
(b) This Protocol shall enter into force for each State on the  
date of deposit of the instrument of ratification, acceptance or  
accession of the State concerned or on the date of entry into force  
of the 1971 Convention with respect to such State, whichever is  
the later. 
 
In faith whereof the undersigned, being duly authorized  
thereto, have signed this Protocol. 
 
Done at Paris, this twenty-fourth day of July 1971, in the  
English, French and Spanish languages, the three texts being equally  
authoritative, in a single copy which shall be deposited with the  
Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  
Cultural Organization.  The Director-General shall send certified  
copies to the signatory States, and to the Secretary-General of the  
United Nations for registration. 
 
Certified a true and complete copy of the original of the  
Universal Copyright Convention as revised at Paris on 24 July 1971, of  
the Protocol 1 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as  
revised at Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that  
Convention to works of Stateless persons and refugees and of the  
Protocol 2 annexed to the Universal Copyright Convention as revised at  
Paris on 24 July 1971 concerning the application of that Convention to  
the works of certain international organizations. 
 
Paris, 24. 12. 1971 Claude Lussier. 
 
Director, Office of International Standards and Legal Affairs,  
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 
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