How can my copyright be protected in other countries?
There is an international treaty called the Berne Convention.
Countries that have signed the treaty have agreed to pass laws in their own countries that will extend to nationals of other signatory countries the same copyright protection that is extended to their own nationals.
Australia is a party to the Berne Convention, so Australians enjoy the same protection that is given in other countries that are parties to the Berne Convention.
The Berne Convention and other treaties also require treaty member countries to maintain minimum levels of copyright protection. With those minimum standards, and international harmonisation of copyright laws, by and large, Australians enjoy the same copyright protection in other countries as they do under Australian copyright law.
Accordingly, just as there are no formalities such as registration, publication, or examination of copyright works in Australia, and no fees are payable, so also, there are no such formalities in other countries, and similarly, no fees are payable in other countries.
View a list of member countries of the Berne Convention on the World Intellectual Property Organization website.
- Last reviewed: 28 Sep 2020
- Last updated: 21 Jun 2024