Expert: Rene Hasekamp - 7/23/2008

Question
Rene,
I apologize if this is not your area, but basic questions...
2 questions:

#1.) I am studying U.S. copyright laws for songwriting.  I would like to expand my knowledge to UK(Europe) laws, to submit music there.
Can you give me any resources, direction or a place to start on this topic?
#2.) What is your opinion on this...Could a notorization of a piece of work, name and date legalized, replace a registration of copyright by the U.S. Registration Office?
thank you for any information.

Answer
Hi, This indeed not my strongest point but:

#1 I think the best place to start is WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization). Go to http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/ and http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/faq/ as a start. You should find everything there or at least some good links.

#2 Copyright is simply founded by creating a "work of art". This is the situation in Europe anyway. As copyright laws are based on an international treaty (the "Berne Convention") I believe this is true worldwide. However, in the US it seems possible to "renew copyright". In Europe in believe this is  not possible.
So a notary would only be helpful or necessary if you want to have a document to prove a date.

Hope this helps.

Rene Hasekamp