The Bern Convention 

The Bern Convention on the protection of literary and artistic works is a diplomatic treaty which lays the groundwork for their international protection.

Signed on Sep. 9, 1886, supplemented in Paris (1896), revised in Berlin (1908), supplemented in Bern (1914), revised in Rome (1928), in Brussels (1948), in Stockholm (1967) and in Paris (1971) and amended in 1979.

Canada was signatory to the Bern Convention on April 10, 1928.

The Convention notably allows a foreign author to invoke the rights applicable to the country where his/her work is performed.

The Treaty is currently administered by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) with its head office in Geneva. A special U.N. agency, it numbers 159 member states.

WIPO
34, Chemin des Colombettes
1211 Genève 20
SUISSE
tél. : +41 22 730 91 11