🕷️ Crawler Inspector

[Skip navigation](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/2.html#main) 1. [LII](https://www.law.cornell.edu/) 2. [Archival content](https://www.law.cornell.edu/lii/about/archival-content) 3. [Berne convention](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/) # BERNE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF LITERARY AND ARTISTIC WORKS (Paris Text 1971) *** ## Article 2 [(1)]() The expression "**literary and artistic works**" shall include every production in the literary, scientific and artistic domain, whatever may be the mode or form of its expression, such as books, pamphlets and other writings; lectures, addresses, sermons and other works of the same nature; dramatic or dramatico-musical works; choreographic works and entertainments in dumb show; musical compositions with or without words; cinematographic works to which are assimilated works expressed by a process analogous to cinematography; works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving and lithography; photographic works to which are assimilated works expressed by a process analogous to photography; works of applied art; illustrations, maps, plans, sketches and three-dimensional works relative to geography, topography, architecture or science. [(2)]() It shall, however, be a matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to prescribe that works in general or any specified categories of works shall not be protected unless they have been fixed in some material form. [(3)]() Translations, adaptations, arrangements of music and other alterations of a literary or artistic work shall be protected as original works without prejudice to the copyright in the original work. [(4)]() It shall be a matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to determine the protection to be granted to official texts of a legislative, administrative and legal nature, and to official translations of such texts. [(5)]() Collections of literary or artistic works such as encyclopaedias and anthologies which, by reason of the selection and arrangement of their contents, constitute intellectual creations shall be protected as such, without prejudice to the copyright in each of the works forming part of such collections. [(6)]() The works mentioned in this article shall enjoy protection in all countries of the Union. This protection shall operate for the benefit of the author and his successors in title. [(7)]() Subject to the provisions of [Article 7(4)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/7.html#7\(4\)) of this Convention, it shall be a matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to determine the extent of the application of their laws to works of applied art and industrial designs and models, as well as the conditions under which such works, designs and models shall be protected. Works protected in the country of origin solely as designs and models shall be entitled in another country of the Union only to such special protection as is granted in that country to designs and models; however, if no such special protection is granted in that country, such works shall be protected as artistic works. [(8)]() The protection of this Convention shall not apply to news of the day or to miscellaneous facts having the character of mere items of press information. *** [prev](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/1.html) \| [next](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/2bis.html) [overview](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html#2) *** [Web accessibility help](https://www.law.cornell.edu/lii/about/accessibility)

## BERNE CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF LITERARY AND ARTISTIC WORKS (Paris Text 1971) *** [(1)]() The expression "**literary and artistic works**" shall include every production in the literary, scientific and artistic domain, whatever may be the mode or form of its expression, such as books, pamphlets and other writings; lectures, addresses, sermons and other works of the same nature; dramatic or dramatico-musical works; choreographic works and entertainments in dumb show; musical compositions with or without words; cinematographic works to which are assimilated works expressed by a process analogous to cinematography; works of drawing, painting, architecture, sculpture, engraving and lithography; photographic works to which are assimilated works expressed by a process analogous to photography; works of applied art; illustrations, maps, plans, sketches and three-dimensional works relative to geography, topography, architecture or science. [(2)]() It shall, however, be a matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to prescribe that works in general or any specified categories of works shall not be protected unless they have been fixed in some material form. [(3)]() Translations, adaptations, arrangements of music and other alterations of a literary or artistic work shall be protected as original works without prejudice to the copyright in the original work. [(4)]() It shall be a matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to determine the protection to be granted to official texts of a legislative, administrative and legal nature, and to official translations of such texts. [(5)]() Collections of literary or artistic works such as encyclopaedias and anthologies which, by reason of the selection and arrangement of their contents, constitute intellectual creations shall be protected as such, without prejudice to the copyright in each of the works forming part of such collections. [(6)]() The works mentioned in this article shall enjoy protection in all countries of the Union. This protection shall operate for the benefit of the author and his successors in title. [(7)]() Subject to the provisions of [Article 7(4)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/7.html#7\(4\)) of this Convention, it shall be a matter for legislation in the countries of the Union to determine the extent of the application of their laws to works of applied art and industrial designs and models, as well as the conditions under which such works, designs and models shall be protected. Works protected in the country of origin solely as designs and models shall be entitled in another country of the Union only to such special protection as is granted in that country to designs and models; however, if no such special protection is granted in that country, such works shall be protected as artistic works. [(8)]() The protection of this Convention shall not apply to news of the day or to miscellaneous facts having the character of mere items of press information. *** [prev](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/1.html) \| [next](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/2bis.html) [overview](https://www.law.cornell.edu/treaties/berne/overview.html#2) ***