The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. Established in 1886, is one of the oldest and most significant international agreements on copyright law. Administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The Convention ensures that creators receive protection for their works across all member countries without requiring any formal registration.
The key principle of the Berne Convention is “national treatment.” This means each member country must grant foreign authors the same copyright protection as it grants its own nationals. The Convention applies to books, music, paintings, films, and other creative works.
Another important feature is the “automatic protection” rule. This means that copyright exists from the moment an author creates a work and does not depend on formalities like registration or publication. It also introduced the concept of the minimum term of copyright. Typically the lifetime of the author plus 50 years (many countries now use 70 years).
The Convention has been revised several times to keep up with technological advancements. Major updates made in Paris (1971) and Berlin (1908).
India became a member of the Berne Convention in 1928, and the agreement continues to shape global copyright laws by promoting uniform protection standards.
In a world where creative content easily crosses borders. The Berne Convention remains the cornerstone of international copyright protection, encouraging creativity, innovation, and fair treatment for artists worldwide.
