rights
Basic Notions of Copyright and Related Rights
By the International Bureau of WIPO
1. BASIC NOTIONS OF COPYRIGHT
A. Introduction
Copyright legislation is part of the law “intellectual property”. This law protects the interests of creators by giving them property rights over their creations. It is there to stimulate creativity, make them available to the public and to ensure international trades protected by intellectual property right are harmonized (the law is recognized in most countries). The WIPO is the secretariat that protects the intellectual property law.
Intellectual property refers to all creations of the human mind.
1. Property
The owner of the property may use it as he wishes. Nobody else can lawfully use his property without his authorization. There are three types of property:
Movable property. Consists of movable things (e.g. car, furniture in home). No one except the owner can use these items. This is referred to as “exclusive” (rights).
Immovable property/real property. Permanently fixed things, which cannot be lifted or moved (e.g. land, house).
Intellectual property. The creations of the human mind (e.g. drawing, theatre play).
2. “Intellectual" property
Intellectual property is divided into two branches:
Industrial property. This includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs and geographic indications.
Patent. An exclusive right granted for an inventions. The invention doesn’t have to be physical (can be an idea). Has to be official (on paper), lasts for about 20 years, and people cannot copy your idea (even if they didn’t know it’s yours). Protects the expression.
Copyright. Protects literary and artistic works and creations in the field of related rights. It only protects the form of expression of ideas (physical), not the ideas themselves. Isn’t official, lasts longer than a patent and an invention cannot prevent third parties from using that invention. Protects the form of expression.
B. Copyright
The
By the International Bureau of WIPO
1. BASIC NOTIONS OF COPYRIGHT
A. Introduction
Copyright legislation is part of the law “intellectual property”. This law protects the interests of creators by giving them property rights over their creations. It is there to stimulate creativity, make them available to the public and to ensure international trades protected by intellectual property right are harmonized (the law is recognized in most countries). The WIPO is the secretariat that protects the intellectual property law.
Intellectual property refers to all creations of the human mind.
1. Property
The owner of the property may use it as he wishes. Nobody else can lawfully use his property without his authorization. There are three types of property:
Movable property. Consists of movable things (e.g. car, furniture in home). No one except the owner can use these items. This is referred to as “exclusive” (rights).
Immovable property/real property. Permanently fixed things, which cannot be lifted or moved (e.g. land, house).
Intellectual property. The creations of the human mind (e.g. drawing, theatre play).
2. “Intellectual" property
Intellectual property is divided into two branches:
Industrial property. This includes inventions (patents), trademarks, industrial designs and geographic indications.
Patent. An exclusive right granted for an inventions. The invention doesn’t have to be physical (can be an idea). Has to be official (on paper), lasts for about 20 years, and people cannot copy your idea (even if they didn’t know it’s yours). Protects the expression.
Copyright. Protects literary and artistic works and creations in the field of related rights. It only protects the form of expression of ideas (physical), not the ideas themselves. Isn’t official, lasts longer than a patent and an invention cannot prevent third parties from using that invention. Protects the form of expression.
B. Copyright
The