International Copyright Protection Guidelines

Copyright protection within the United States is easily obtained through the U.S. Copyright Office. International copyright is not as simple to obtain. At the international level, copyright is automatically assumed for the artist. Some artists, however, might not be comfortable with such an assumption. Since there is no single way to guarantee protection against plagiarism around the world, artists must research how to obtain copyrights in the countries where they seek protection. UNESCO is the go-to resource for international copyright information.

Read the U.S. Copyright Office's international copyrights publication. The page has links to international documents about worldwide copyright laws. The linked documents can be confusing, but UNESCO synthesizes the issue of international copyright protection. According to UNESCO's "Basic Notions about Copyright and Neighboring Rights," "mandatory registration (for copyright protection) has been abolished almost everywhere." Although there is no mandate to register artistic works, UNESCO advises contacting the copyright office of any country in which one wants to confirm automatic protection. Obviously, this is the part of the process that is time-consuming.

With a possible daunting task to find copyright offices in countries around the world, there are some suggestions that can reinforce proof of artistic ownership. If the artist is a U.S. citizen, the first step is to register works with the U. S. Copyright Office. U.S. copyright registration process requires that the Library of Congress be mailed a copy of the work. This can prove to be helpful if one's work comes under suspicion in another country or if the work is plagiarized. UNESCO advises to label every work with the internationally recognized copyright symbol, (©), and date the work. If you determine that a given country requires formal registration, apply through that country's offices.

UNESCO is a first stop for international copyright information and help. UNESCO coordinates copyright protection in its 191 member states, which are in Africa, the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean. A simple and not at all sufficient way to prove ownership of artistic work is to mail a copy to oneself and do not open the package. The sealed and postmarked package verifies ownership.

Finally, if seeking universal international copyright protection, an artist is advised to hire a copyright attorney to help the artist navigate foreign countries, foreign languages and unfamiliar rules. The primary considerations are that copyright protection is essential and there is no single means to protect one's artistic work worldwide.

Sources
U.S. Copyright Office International Copyright
UNESCO Basic Notions about Copyright and Neighbouring Rights