A copyright is any expression which owes its origin to the author – If you have created a new literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work such as a book, poetry, newspaper articles, painting, photograph, sculpture, film, music, choreography, computer program, website, database, advertisement, brochure, map, or technical drawing, etc., your rights over your work are described in legal terms as copyright and your ownership of that work is protected under copyright law. Unlike other IP rights, such as trademarks and patents, an exclusive ownership right accrues as soon as the original work of authorship is manifested in a tangible or material form. Thereafter, such work can only be used by the original owner. Copyright is a bundle of exclusive rights. As a copyright holder you are protected against the unauthorized reproduction, distribution, performance, or display of your work and any acts that would deprive you of revenue and discourage further creative work.

The main international legal instrument dealing with copyrights is the Berne Convention. More than 190 countries are signatory to the convention. The Berne Convention establishes a general and minimum period that lasts the life of the author and fifty years after the author’s death. Cinematographic works and photographic works have a minimum period of protection of 50 and 25 years upon the date of creation, respectively. This applies to any country that has signed the Berne Convention, and these are just the minimum periods of protection. A member country is entitled to establish greater periods of protection, but never less than what has been established by the Berne Convention.

Although to be entitled to legal protection copyright registration is not necessary, it is however recommended when your work is of high commercial value. Copyright registration provides a convenient proof of your rights and can help enforcing these against any infringers more efficiently.

Axiom Mark provides its valuable clients premium services in relation to their copyright matters and issues encompassing mainly the following:

• Preparation, filing and prosecution of registration application
• Enforcement of rights
• Assignment and licensing of rights