Copyright registration
July 2nd, 2008, Tomasz RychlickiMy last post has triggered some reponses so I’d like to clarify it, in a really short explanation. There is no requirement for copyright protection and enforcement in Poland. The Polish Act on Authors rights and Neighboring Rights of 4 February 1994 (Dziennik Ustaw No 24, pos. 83), consolidated text of 16 May 2006 (Dziennik Ustaw No 90, pos. 631), with later changes, explicitly provides that:.
Art. 1, sec. 4
The creator is eligible for protection independently of compliance with formalities of any kind.
How does it work in the US? 17 U.S.C. ยง 411. Registration and infringement actions (emphasis mine):
(a) Except for an action brought for a violation of the rights of the author under section 106A(a), and except for actions for infringement of copyright in Berne Convention works whose country of origin is not the United States, and subject to the provisions of subsection (b), no action for infringement of the copyright in any United States work shall be instituted until preregistration or registration of the copyright claim has been made in accordance with this title (…)
What does it mean? It means that an effective enforcement of copyright rights is not so easy for the owner. One more time - it applies to any United States work.