Laws: Cases and Codes : U.S. Code : Title 17 : Section 104


   
U.S. Code as of: 01/19/04
Section 104. Subject matter of copyright: National origin

      (a) Unpublished Works. - The works specified by sections 102 and
    103, while unpublished, are subject to protection under this title
    without regard to the nationality or domicile of the author.
      (b) Published Works. - The works specified by sections 102 and
    103, when published, are subject to protection under this title if
    - 
        (1) on the date of first publication, one or more of the
      authors is a national or domiciliary of the United States, or is
      a national, domiciliary, or sovereign authority of a treaty
      party, or is a stateless person, wherever that person may be
      domiciled; or
        (2) the work is first published in the United States or in a
      foreign nation that, on the date of first publication, is a
      treaty party; or
        (3) the work is a sound recording that was first fixed in a
      treaty party; or
        (4) the work is a pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work that
      is incorporated in a building or other structure, or an
      architectural work that is embodied in a building and the
      building or structure is located in the United States or a treaty
      party; or
        (5) the work is first published by the United Nations or any of
      its specialized agencies, or by the Organization of American
      States; or
        (6) the work comes within the scope of a Presidential
      proclamation. Whenever the President finds that a particular
      foreign nation extends, to works by authors who are nationals or
      domiciliaries of the United States or to works that are first
      published in the United States, copyright protection on
      substantially the same basis as that on which the foreign nation
      extends protection to works of its own nationals and
      domiciliaries and works first published in that nation, the
      President may by proclamation extend protection under this title
      to works of which one or more of the authors is, on the date of
      first publication, a national, domiciliary, or sovereign
      authority of that nation, or which was first published in that
      nation. The President may revise, suspend, or revoke any such
      proclamation or impose any conditions or limitations on
      protection under a proclamation.

    For purposes of paragraph (2), a work that is published in the
    United States or a treaty party within 30 days after publication in
    a foreign nation that is not a treaty party shall be considered to
    be first published in the United States or such treaty party, as
    the case may be.
      (c) Effect of Berne Convention. - No right or interest in a work
    eligible for protection under this title may be claimed by virtue
    of, 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.
      (d) Effect of Phonograms Treaties. - Notwithstanding the
    provisions of subsection (b), no works other than sound recordings
    shall be eligible for protection under this title solely by virtue
    of the adherence of the United States to the Geneva Phonograms
    Convention or the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty.



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