International Copyright Registration

Last Updated on November 27, 2025

Copyright is a sensitive issue. It safeguards your work by proofing it with legal protection, thereby lending a sense of trust to your endeavors. In more ways than one, it encourages development of culture, science and innovation, along with assisting audiences with access to the entertainment or knowledge they seek. And the financial benefit to the copyright holder is always there; it perhaps is the most important aspect you may say.

Copyright of people or entities who form a part of the countries which signed the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, Universal Copyright Convention and the TRIPS Agreement have been safeguarded in India through the International Copyright Order.

Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works - which was adopted globally in 1886 - caters to safeguarding the rights of creative individuals with regards to the work they produce. So, creators such as painters, poets and authors have primary control over how their works can be produced, by whom, and on what conditions. It guarantees minimum protection to these individuals, with special clauses to accommodate the developing countries.

The Universal Copyright Convention, or UCC, was adopted in 1952 in Geneva and serves as an alternative to the Berne Convention for the states which did not sign it but were invested in participating in the multilateral copyright protection. So, together with the Berne Convention, Universal Copyright Convention forms the two major international conventions that protects our copyright.

Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPS, is a global agreement overseen by the World Trade Organization (WTO). It lays down the bare minimum standards for many forms of intellectual property (IP) regulation that is applicable to the citizens belonging to the other WTO Members.

What that means is that the copyrights of the works belonging to other nations which are a part of International Copyright Order are safeguarded in India as if they were India's own works. And it is not a one way traffic. It works both ways: India's work is protected with similar intensity in other countries too, thereby encouraging an environment where originality of creative works are not limited by man-made geographical boundaries.

We have Indian Copyright Laws in place too but they only provide copyright protection within the geographical and political borders of India. The Republic of India thus had to sign the above mentioned conventions in order to stay ahead of time. 

Apart from the three conventions mentioned above, the two other major conventions that India is a part of are: Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorized Duplication of their Phonograms, and, Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorised Duplication of their Phonograms.

List of Various Conventions & Member Countries

For your ease, we list the countries that are a part of various conventions. More importantly, your work is protected in these countries much like they will be protected in India.

Countries Part of Berne Convention

At present, 182 countries are members of the Berne Convention. Some of these countries are mentioned in the table below.:-

Note: For the complete list, check the official website of WIPO.

Countries Part of Universal Copyright Convention

Mentioned below are some countries that are part of the Universal Copyright Convention.:-

Note: Check WIPO website for full list.

Countries Part of Phonograms Convention

A total of 81 countries are part of the Phonograms Convention. Some of these countries are as follows.:-

Note: Visit the official website of WIPO for the complete list.

Countries Part of the World Trade Organization

A total of 166 countries are WTO members. Below, we have listed some countries that are part of the World Trade Organization.:-

Note: To check the full list, check the WTO Members PDF.

Conclusion

All in all, the convention covers a large part of the globe and you can rest assured that you have a major control over your creative outputs. In case you find that someone is using your work without due credit or not like how you allowed, you can always use the copyright laws to challenge him or her and get your fair share of gain, financial or not.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How many countries are part of the World Trade Organization?

A. At present, 166 countries are part of the World Trade Organization.

Q2. Is India part of the Phonograms Convention?

A. Yes, India is part of the Phonograms Convention.

Q3. When was the Phonograms Convention signed?

A. It was signed on 29 October, 1971.

Q4. How many countries are part of the Berne Convention?

A. A total of 182 countries are part of the Berne Convention.

Author: Dushyant Sharma

Hey there, I'm Dushyant Sharma. With the extensive knowledge I've gained in past 8 years, I have been creating content on various subjects such as banking, insurance, telecom, and all the important registration and licensing processes for various companies. I'm here to help everyone with my expertise in these areas through my articles.