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- U.S. Laws, Statutes
-
- Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988
-
- Source: Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, 17 USC 101
- note. United States Code Congressional and Administrative News,
- 100th Congress--Second Session, Volume 2, West Publishing Co., St.
- Paul, Minn., 102 Stat. 2853-2861.
-
- (An Act to amend title 17, United States Code, to implement the Berne
- Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, as revised
- at Paris on July 24, 1971, and for other purposes.)
-
- Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
- States of America in Congress assembled.
-
-
-
- Section 1. Short Title and References to Title 17, United States Code.
-
- (a) Short Title.--This Act, may be cited as the "Berne Convention
- Implementation Act of 1988".
-
- (b) References to Title 17, United States Code.--Whenever in this Act
- an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to or a repeal
- of a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to be
- made to a section or other provision of title 17, United States Code.
-
-
-
- Section 2. Declarations.
-
- The Congress makes the following declarations:
-
- (1) The Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic
- Works, signed at Berne, Switzerland, on September 9, 1886, and all
- acts, protocols, and revisions thereto (hereafter in this Act referred to as
- the "Berne Convention") are not self-executing under the Constitution
- and laws of the United States.
-
- (2) The obligations of the United States under the Berne
- Convention may be performed only pursuant to appropriate domestic
- law.
-
- (3) The amendments made by this Act, together with the law
- as it exists on the date of the enactment of this Act, satisfy the
- obligations of the United States in adhering to the Berne Convention
- and no further rights or interests shall be recognized or created for that
- purpose.
-
-
-
- Section 3. Construction of the Berne Convention.
-
- (a) Relationship with Domestic Law.--The provisions of the Berne
- Convention--
-
- (1) shall be given effect under title 17, as amended by this
- Act, and any other relevant provision of Federal or State law, including
- the common law; and
-
- (2) shall not be enforceable in any action brought pursuant to
- the provisions of the Berne Convention itself.
-
- (b) Certain Rights Not Affected.--The provisions of the Berne
- Convention, the adherence of the United States thereto, and satisfaction of United
- States obligations thereunder, do no expand or reduce any right of an author of a
- work, whether claimed under Federal, State, or the common law--
-
- (1) to claim authorship of the work; or
-
- (2) to object to any distortion, mutilation, or other
- modification of, or other derogatory action in relation to, the work, that
- would prejudice the author's honor or reputation.
-
-
-
- Section 4. Subject Matter and Scope of Copyrights.
-
- (a) Subject and Scope.--Chapter 1 is amended--
-
- (1) in section 101--
-
- (A) in the definition of "Pictorial, graphic, and
- sculptural works" by striking out in the first sentence
- "technical drawings, diagrams, and models" and inserting in
- lieu thereof "diagrams, models, and technical drawings,
- including architectural plans";
-
- (B) by inserting after the definition of "Audiovisual
- works", the following: "The 'Berne Convention' is the
- Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works,
- signed at Berne, Switzerland, on September 8, 1886, and all
- acts, protocols, and revisions thereto.
-
- "A work is a 'Berne Convention work' if--
-
- "(1) in the case of an unpublished work, one
- or more of the authors is a national of a nation
- adhering to the Berne Convention, or in the case of a
- published work, one or more of the authors is a
- national of a nation adhering to the Berne Convention
- on the date of first publication;
-
- "(2) the work was first published in a nation
- adhering to the Berne Convention, or was
- simultaneously first published in a nation adhering to
- the Berne Convention and in a foreign nation that
- does not adhere to the Berne Convention;
-
- "(3) in the case of an audiovisual work--
-
- "(A) if one or more of the authors
- is a legal entity, that the author has its
- headquarters in a nation adhering to the
- Berne Convention; or
-
- "(B) if one or more of the authors is
- an individual, that author is domiciled, or
- has his or her habitual residence in, a
- nation adhering to the Berne Convention;
- or
-
- "(4) in the case of a pictorial, graphic, or
- sculptural work that is incorporated in a building or
- other structure, the building or structure is located in
- a nation adhering to the Berne Convention.
-
- For purposes of paragraph (1), an author who is
- domiciled in or has his or her habitual residence in, a nation
- adhering to the Berne Convention is considered to be a national
- of that nation. For purposes of paragraph (2), a work is
- considered to have been simultaneously published in two or
- more nations if its dates of publication are within 30 days of
- one another,"; and
-
- (C) by inserting after the definition of "Copyright
- owner", the following:
-
- "The 'country of origin' of a Berne Convention work, for
- purposes of section 411, is the United States if--
-
- "(1) in the case of a published work, the work
- is first published--
-
- "(A) in the United States;
-
- "(B) simultaneously in the United States
- and another nation or nations adhering to the Berne
- Convention, whose law grants a term of copyright
- protection that is the same as or longer than the term
- provided in the United States;
-
- "(C) simultaneously in the United States
- and a foreign nation that does not adhere to the Berne
- Convention; or
-
- "(D) in a foreign nation that does not
- adhere to the Berne Convention, and all of the authors
- of the work are nationals, domiciliaries, or habitual
- residents of, or in the case of an audiovisual work
- legal entities with headquarters in, the United States;
-
- "(2) in the case of an unpublished work, all the
- authors of the work are nationals, domiciliaries, or
- habitual residents of the United States, or, in the case of an
- unpublished audiovisual work, all the authors are legal
- entities with headquarters in the United States; or
-
- "(3) in the case of a pictorial, graphic, or
- sculptural work incorporated in a building or structure, the
- building or structure is located in the United States.
- For the purposes of section 411, the 'country of origin' of any other
- Berne Convention work is not the United States.";
-
- (2) in section 104(b)--
-
- (A) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and
-
- (B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following new
- paragraph: "(4) the work is a Berne Convention work; or";
- (3) in section 104 by adding at the end thereof the following:
-
- "(c) Effect of Berne Convention.--No right or interest in a
- work eligible for protection under this title may be claimed by virtue
- or, or in reliance upon; the provisions of the Berne Convention, or the
- adherence of the United States thereto. Any rights in a work eligible
- for protection under this title that derive from this title, other Federal or
- State statutes, or the common law, shall not be expanded or reduced by
- virtue of, or in reliance upon, the provisions of the Berne Convention,
- or the adherence of the United States thereto."; and
-
- (4) by inserting after section 116 the following new section:
- "Section 116A. Negotiated licenses for public performances by means of coin-
- operated phonorecord players
-
- "(a) Applicability of Section.--This section applies to any nondramatic
- musical work embodied in a phonorecord.
-
- "(b) Limitation on Exclusive Right if Licenses Not Negotiated.--
-
- "(1) Applicability.--In the case of a work to which this section
- applies, the exclusive right under clause (4) of section 106 to perform
- the work publicly by means of a coin-operated phonorecord player is
- limited by section 116 to the extent provided in this section.
-
- "(2) Determination by Copyright Royalty Tribunal.--The
- Copyright Royalty Tribunal, at the end of the 1-year period beginning
- on the effective date of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of
- 1988, and periodically thereafter to the extent necessary to carry out
- subsection (f), shall determine whether or not negotiated licenses
- authorized by subsection (c) are in effect so as to provide permission to
- use a quantity of musical works not substantially smaller than the
- quantity of such works performed on coin-operated phonorecord players
- during the 1-year period ending on the effective date of that Act. If the
- Copyright Royalty Tribunal determines that such negotiated licenses are
- not so in effect, the Tribunal shall, upon making the determination,
- publish the determination in the Federal Register. Upon such
- publication, section 116 shall apply with respect to musical works that
- are not the subject of such negotiated licenses.
-
- "(c) Negotiated Licenses.--
-
- "(1) Authority for Negotiations.--Any owners of copyright in
- works to which this section applies and any operators of coin-operated
- phonorecord players may negotiate and agree upon the terms and rates of
- royalty payments for the performance of such works and the
- proportionate division of fees paid among copyright owners, and may
- designate common agents to negotiate, agree to, pay, or receive such
- royalty payments.
-
- "(2) Arbitration.--Parties to such a negotiation, within such
- time as may be specified by the Copyright Royalty Tribunal by
- regulation, may determine the result of the negotiation by arbitration.
- Such arbitration shall be governed by the provisions of title 9, to the
- extent such title is not inconsistent with this section. The parties shall
- give notice to the Copyright Royalty Tribunal of any determination
- reached by arbitration and any such determination shall, as between the
- parties to the arbitration, be dispositive of the issues to which it relates.
-
- "(d) License Agreements Superior to Copyright Royalty
- Tribunal Determinations.--License agreements between one or more
- copyright owners and one or more operators of coin-operated
- phonorecord players, which are negotiated in accordance with subsection
- (c), shall be given effect in lieu of any otherwise applicable
- determination by the Copyright Royalty Tribunal.
-
- "(e) Negotiation Schedule.--Not later than 60 days after the
- effective date of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, if
- the Chairman of the copyright Royalty Tribunal has not received
- notice, from copyright owners and operators of coin-operated
- phonorecord players referred to in subsection (c)(1), of the date and
- location of the first meeting between such copyright owners and such
- operators to commence negotiations authorized by subsection (c), the
- Chairman shall announce the date and location of such meeting. Such
- meeting may not be held more than 90 days after the effective date of
- such Act.
-
- "(f) Copyright Royalty Tribunal To Suspend Various
- Activities.--The Copyright Royalty Tribunal shall not conduct any rate-
- making activity with respect to coin-operated phonorecord players
- unless, at any time more than one year after the effective date of the
- Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, the negotiated licenses
- adopted by the parties under this section do not provide permission to
- use a quantity of such works performed on coin-operated phonorecord
- players during the one-year period ending on the effective date of such
- Act.
-
- "(g) Transition Provisions; Retention of Copyright Royalty
- Tribunal Jurisdiction.--Until such time as licensing provisions are
- determined by the parties under this section, the terms of the
- compulsory license under section 116, with respect to the public
- performance of nondramatic musical works by means of coin-operated
- phonorecord players, which is in effect on the day before the effective
- date of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, shall remain
- in force. If a negotiated license authorized by this section comes into
- force so as to supersede previous determinations of the Copyright
- Royalty Tribunal, as provided in subsection (d), but thereafter is
- terminated or expires and is not replaced by another licensing
- agreement, then section 116 shall be effective with respect to musical
- works that were the subject of such terminated or expired licenses.".
-
- (b) Technical Amendments.--(1) Section 116 is amended--
-
- (A) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
-
- "Section 116. Scope of exclusive rights in nondramatic musical works:
- Compulsory licenses for public performance by means of coin-operated
- phonorecord players";
-
- (B) in subsection (a) in the matter preceding paragraph
- (1), by inserting after "in a phonorecord," the following: "the
- performance of which is subject to this section as provided in
- section 116A,"; and
-
- (C) in subsection (e), by inserting "and section 116A"
- after "As used in this section".
-
- (2) The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 1 is amended by
- striking out the item relating to section 116, and inserting in lieu thereof the
- following:
-
- "116. Scope of exclusive rights in nondramatic musical works: Compulsory
- licenses for public performances by means of coin-operated phonorecord
- players."
-
- "116A. Negotiated licenses for public performances by means of coin-operated
- phonorecord players.".
-
-
-
- Section 5. Recordation.
-
- Section 205 is amended--
-
- (1) by striking out subsection (d); and
-
- (2) by redesignating subsections (e) and (f) as subsections (d)
- and (e), respectively.
-
-
-
- Section 6. Preemption with Respect to Other Laws Not Affected.
-
- Section 301 is amended by adding at the end thereof the following:
-
- "(e) The scope of Federal preemption under this section is not affected
- by the adherence of the United States to the Berne Convention or the satisfaction
- of obligations of the United States thereunder.".
-
-
-
- Section 7. Notice of Copyright.
-
- (a) Visually Perceptible Copies.--Section 401 is amended--
-
- (1) in subsection (a), by amending the subsection heading to
- read as follows:
-
- "(a) General Provisions.--";
-
- (2) in subsection (a), by striking out "shall be placed on all"
- and inserting in lieu thereof "may be placed on";
-
- (3) in subsection (b), by striking out "The notice appearing on
- the copies: and inserting in lieu thereof "If a notice appears on the
- copies, it"; and
-
- (4) by adding at the end of the following:
-
- "(d) Evidentiary Weight of Notice.--If a notice of copyright in the form
- and position specified by this section appears on the published copy or copies to
- which a defendant in a copyright infringement suit had access, then no weight
- shall be given to such a defendant's interposition of a defense based on innocent
- infringement in mitigation of actual or statutory damages, except as provided in
- the last sentence of section 504(c)(2).".
-
- (b) Phonorecords of Sound Recordings.--Section 402 is amended--
-
- (1) in subsection (a), by amending the subsection heading to
- read as follows:
-
- "(a) General Provisions.--";
-
- (2) in subsection (a), by striking out "shall be placed on all"
- and inserting in lieu thereof "may be placed on";
-
- (3) in subsection (b), by striking out "The notice appearing on
- the phonorecords" and inserting in lieu thereof "If a notice appears on
- the phonorecords, it"; and
-
- (4) by adding at the end thereof the following new subsection:
-
- "(d) Evidentiary Weight of Notice.--If a notice of copyright in the form
- and position specified by this section appears on the published phonorecord or
- phonorecords to which a defendant in a copyright infringement suit had access,
- then no weight shall be given to such a defendant's interposition of a defense
- based on innocent infringement in mitigation of actual or statutory damages,
- except as provided in the last sentence of section 504(c)(2).".
-
- (c) Publications Incorporating United States Government Works.--
- Section 403 is amended to read as follows:
-
- "Sections 401(d) and 402(d) shall not apply to a work published in
- copies or phonorecords consisting predominantly of one or more works of the
- United States Government unless the notice of copyright appearing on the
- published copies or phonorecords to which a defendant in the copyright
- infringement suit had access includes a statement identifying, either affirmatively
- or negatively, those portions of the copies or phonorecords embodying any work
- or works protected under this title.".
-
- (d) Notice of Copyright; Contribution to Collective Works.--Section
- 404 is amended--
-
- (1) in subsection (a), by striking out "to satisfy the
- requirements of sections 401 through 403", and inserting in lieu thereof
- "to invoke the provisions of section 401(d) or 402(d), as applicable";
- and
-
- (2) in subsection (b), by striking out "Where" and inserting in
- lieu thereof "With respect to copies and phonorecords publicly
- distributed by authority of the copyright owner before the effective date
- of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, where".
-
- (e) Omission of Notice.--Section 405 is amended--
-
- (1) in subsection (a), by striking out "The omission of the
- copyright notice prescribed by" and inserting in lieu thereof "With
- respect to copies and phonorecords publicly distributed by authority of
- the copyright owner before the effective date of the Berne Convention
- Implementation Act of 1988, the omission of the copyright notice
- described in";
-
- (2) in subsection (b), by striking out "omitted," in the first
- sentence and inserting in lieu thereof "omitted and which was publicly
- distributed by authority of the copyright owner before the effective date
- of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988,"; and
-
- (3) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
- "Section 405. Notice of copyright: Omission of notice on certain copies and
- phonorecords"
-
- (f) Error in Name or Date.--Section 406 is amended--
-
- (1) in subsection (a) by striking out "Where" and inserting in
- lieu thereof "With respect to copies and phonorecords publicly
- distributed by authority of the copyright owner before the effective date
- of the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988, where";
-
- (2) in subsection (b) by inserting "before the effective date of
- the Berne Convention Implementation Act of 1988" after "distributed";
-
- (3) in subsection (c)--
-
- (A) by inserting "before the effective date of the Berne
- Convention Implementation Act of 1988" after "publicly
- distributed"; and
-
- (B) by inserting after "405" the following: "as in
- effect on the day before the effective date of the Berne
- Convention Implementation Act of 1988"; and
-
- (4) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
- "Section 406. Notice of copyright: Error in name or date on certain copies and
- phonorecords".
-
- (g) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of
- chapter 4 is amended by striking out the items relating to sections 405 and 406
- and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
-
- "405. Notice of copyright: Omission of notice on certain copies and
- phonorecords.
-
- "406. Notice of copyright: Error in name or date on certain copies and
- phonorecords.".
-
-
-
- Section 8. Deposit of Copies or Phonorecords for Library of Congress.
-
- Section 407(a) is amended by striking out "with notice of copyright".
-
-
-
- Section 9. Copyright Registration.
-
- (a) Registration in General.--Section 408 is amended--
-
- (1) in subsection (a), by striking out "Subject to the
- provisions of section 405(a), such" in the second sentence and inserting
- in lieu thereof "Such";
-
- (2) in subsection (c)(2)--
-
- (A) by striking out "all of the following conditions--"
- and inserting in lieu thereof "the following conditions:";
-
- (B) by striking out subparagraph (A); and
-
- (C) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as
- subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively.
-
- (b) Infringement Actions.--
-
- (1) Registration as a Prerequisite.--Section 411 is amended--
-
- (A) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
-
- "Section 411. Registration and infringement actions";
-
- (B) in subsection (a) by striking out "Subject" and
- inserting in lieu thereof "Except for actions for infringement of
- copyright in Berne Convention works whose country of origin
- in not the United States, and subject"; and
-
- (C) in subsection (b)(2) by inserting ", if required by
- subsection (a)," after "work".
-
- (2) Table of Sections.--The table of sections at the beginning
- of chapter 4 is amended by striking out the item relating to section 411
- and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
-
- "411. Registration and infringement actions.".
-
-
-
- Section 10. Copyright Infringement and Remedies.
-
- (a) Infringement.--Section 501(b) is amended by striking out "sections
- 205(d) and 411," and inserting in lieu thereof "section 411,".
-
- (b) Damages and Profits.--Section 504(c) is amended--
-
- (1) in paragraph (1))--
-
- (A) by striking out "$250", and inserting in lieu
- thereof "$500"; and
-
- (B) by striking out "$10,000", and inserting in lieu
- thereof "$20,000"; and
-
- (2) in paragraph (2)--
-
- (A) by striking out "$50,000.", and inserting in lieu
- thereof "$100,000."; and
-
- (B) by striking out "$100.", and inserting in lieu
- thereof "$200.".
-
-
-
- Section 11. Copyright Royalty Tribunal.
-
- Chapter 8 is amended--
-
- (1) in section 801, by adding at the end of subsection (b) the
- following: "In determining whether a return to a copyright owner under
- section 116 is fair, appropriate weight shall be given to--
-
- "(i) the rates previously determined by the Tribunal to provide
- a fair return to the copyright owner, and
-
- "(ii) the rates contained in any license negotiated pursuant to
- section 116A of this title."; and
-
- (2) by amending section 804(a)(2)(C) to read as follows:
-
- "(C)
- (i) In proceedings under section 801(b)(1)
- concerning the adjustment of royalty rates as provided in
- section 115, such petition may be filed in 1990 and in each
- subsequent tenth calendar year, and at any time within 1 year
- after negotiated licenses authorized by section 116A are
- terminated or expire and are not replaced by subsequent
- agreements.
-
- "(ii) If negotiated licenses authorized by section
- 116A come into force so as to supersede previous
- determinations of the Tribunal, as provided in section 116A(d),
- but thereafter are terminated or expire and are not replaced by
- subsequent agreements, the Tribunal shall, upon petition of
- any party to such terminated or expired negotiated license
- agreement, promptly establish an interim royalty rate or rates
- for the public performance by means of a coin-operated
- phonorecord player of nondramatic musical works embodied in
- phonorecords which had been subject to the terminated or
- expired negotiated license agreement. Such interim royalty
- rate or rates shall be the same as the last such rate or rates and
- shall remain in force until the conclusion of proceedings to
- adjust the royalty rates applicable to such works, or until
- superseded by a new negotiated license agreement, as provided
- in section 116A(d).".
-
-
-
- Section 12. Works in the Public Domain.
-
- Title 17, United States Code, as amended by this Act, does not provide
- copyright protection for any work that is in the public domain in the United
- States.
-
-
-
- Section 13. Effective Date on Pending Cases.
-
- (a) Effective Date.--This Act and the amendments made by this Act
- take effect on the date on which the Berne Convention (as defined in section 101
- of title 17, United States Code) enters into force with respect to the United
- States.
-
- (b) Effect on Pending Cases.--Any cause of action arising under title
- 17, United States Code, before the effective date of this Act shall be governed by
- the provisions of such titles as in effect when the cause of action arose.
-
- Approved October 31, 1988.
-