ข้อมูลนี้ห้ามใช้อ้างอิง
พี่ๆจะให้ผมร่วมด้วยช่วยเดาเรื่องฟอนต์มั้ยครับ ที่ต้องบอกว่าเดาเพราะเรื่องนี้เป็นแนวความคิดซะหลายส่วน ถ้าศาลฏีกายังไม่พิพากษาก็ยังไม่มีใครหาบรรทัดฐานเจอครับ
สรุปง่ายๆที่เห็นตรงกันคือ ฟอนต์มีลิขสิทธิ์ สิทธิมากน้อยเท่าใดขึ้นกับเจ้าของลิขสิทธิ์กำหนดในรูปสัญญาอนุญาตให้ใช้สิทธิ (License) ซึ่งถ้าไม่มีการกำหนด license ไว้ โดยพื้นฐานจะยึดถือตาม พ.ร.บ.ลิขสิทธิ์ครับ คือทำอะไรไม่ได้เว้นแต่ได้รับอนุญาตจากเจ้าของลิขสิทธิ์ + เข้าข้อยกเว้นลิขสิทธิ์
ฉะนั้น ทำงานอะไรกับฟอนต์ จงดูข้อสัญญาอนุญาตให้ใช้สิทธิให้ดี ว่างๆจะลองแปล open font license ดูว่าฝรั่งมันเห็นว่าฟอนต์แบบเปิดควรมีข้อสัญญาอนุญาตให้ใช้สิทธิแบบไหน
ข้อต่อมาคือถ้าหาข้อสัญญาอนุญาตให้ใช้สิทธิไม่เจอ ก็อ่าน พ.ร.บ.ลิขสิทธิ์ไปครับ ตัวอย่างเช่น ถ้าบอกว่าแจกฟรี คือแจกฟรีไง เขาให้คุณใช้ฟรี แต่จะเอาไปแจกจ่ายตัวชุดคำสั่งฟอนต์นั้นต่อไปไม่ได้ หรือค้ากำไร หรือจะทำอะไรต่างๆที่ล่วงล้ำสิทธิที่คุ้มครองตาม พ.ร.บ.ลิขสิทธิ์ไม่ได้ (ทั้งนี้อ่านประกอบกับข้อยกเว้นพ.ร.บ.ลิขสิทธิ์ด้วย)
คงประมาณนี้แหละที่พอจะหาความแน่นอนได้ในเวลานี้
สำหรับเรื่องที่สงสัยกันว่าเราเห็นรูปแบบฟอนต์สวยๆแล้วจะมาวาดฟอนต์ให้เหมือนเด๊ะๆ ผิดรึปล่าว อันนี้ผมยังงงอยู่นะว่าศาลทรัพย์สินมองฟอนต์ในฐานะชุดคำสั่งทางคอมพิวเตอร์หรืองานศิลปะประยุกต์กันแน่ เพราะผมคิดว่ามันน่าจะให้ผลต่างกัน คือ ถ้ามองในฐานะชุดคำสั่งทางคอมพิวเตอร์ การที่เอาชุดคำสั่งฟอนต์ของคนอื่นมาเปิดแล้วเลียนแบบการประมวลผลชุดคำสั่งนั้นๆ แบบนี้ก็ละเมิดลิขสิทธิ์ แต่ถ้าเห็นว่าสวยแล้วเราเริ่มใหม่จากศูนย์แต่ภาพลักษณ์ออกมาเหมือนกัน แบบนี้ก็แปลว่าเราพัฒนาชุดคำสั่งทางคอมพิวเตอร์เอง กล่าวคือไม่ได้ละเมิดลิขสิทธิ์ฟอนต์ (ที่ถูกมองในฐานะชุดคำสั่งทางคอมพิวเตอร์) นั่นเอง
แต่ถ้าเรามองว่ามันเป็นงานศิลปะประยุกต์ เราก็พูดต่อได้ทันทีว่าเขาคุ้มครองการวางแนว จัดตำแหน่ง กำหนดขนาด ฯลฯ ที่ให้มันออกมาในฐานะงานศิลปะงานหนึ่ง ถ้าไปทำให้เหมือนหรือคล้ายก็เป็นการละเมิดลิขสิทธิ์ฟอนต์ (ที่ถูกมองในฐานะงานศิลปะประยุกต์)
งงดีมั้ยครับ ผมยังงงเลย
จริงๆเคยเข้ามาอ่านหัวข้อจู๋แล้วผ่านไปเพราะเห็นว่ารู้กันหมดแล้วว่าฟอนต์มีลิขสิทธิ์เลยไม่สนใจ แถมอ่านผ่านๆแล้วก็เขียนเข้าใจดี
แต่พอดีว่างานที่บริษัทมีปัญหาเรื่องนี้เข้ามาเลยหาข้อมูล เปิดจู๋นี้ปุ๊ปมึนเลย มีแต่ปัญหาน่าคิดทั้งนั้น
เรื่องการคุ้มครองทรัพย์สินทางปัญญานะ หัวใจองค์รวมมันคือการคุ้มครองให้คนสร้างสรรค์งานได้ประโยชน์จากงาน ถ้าคนเอางานเราไปแล้วทำให้เขาได้เงินแต่เราไม่ได้อะไร แบบนี้ก็เหมือนโดนโจรขโมยของใช่มะ กฎหมายเลยเข้ามาคุ้มครองไง แต่ถ้าคนเอาไปใช้มันไม่ได้ประโยชน์อะไรเลย เช่น ไม่ได้ไปแสวงหากำไร ของคุณสร้างสรรค์มาไม่ได้ขายกะแจกฟรีตั้งแต่แรก ฯลฯ คนเอางานของคุณมาใช้ก็ไม่ใช่โจรใช่มะ เขาเลยไม่ใช่คนละเมิดลิขสิทธิ์ไง มันก็ประมาณนี้แหละ มึนจังพิมพ์ไปฟังเพลงไปแบ่งสมองไม่ค่อยถูก ผิดพลาด สงสัย บอกมาจะพยายามหาข้อมูลมาตอบ ถ้าผิดพลาดก็ขออภัยครับ:46:
ส่งท้ายด้วยพัฒนาการของกฎหมายลิขสิทธิ์เกี่ยวกับฟอนต์ในอังกฤษ
Typefaces, Fonts and Characters - Intellectual Property Protection in the United KingdomBy L EllisMechanically produced fonts and the characters comprising fonts are protected under UK law as typefaces. The legal definition for typefaces incorporates letters, numerals and ornamental motifs. Fonts and typefaces created for PCs, Apple computers and Linux systems however are protected are artistic works.
ในอังกฤษเนี๊ยะ การผลิตฟอนต์คุ้มครองตามกฎหมายในลักษณ์ที่เรียกว่า typeface ซึ่งไม่รู้แปลไทยว่าอะไร แต่คงหมายถึงการพูดรวมๆถึงรูปแบบอักขระทุกแบบที่รวมทั้งตัวอักษร ตัวเลข หรือสัญลักษณ์ทางภาษาอื่นๆมั้ง เหมือนพวก angsana เนี๊ยะทั้งชุดก็คงเป็น typeface แหละ และแม้ว่าพวกฟอนต์กับ typeface จะสร้างมาให้ใช้กับคอมพ์แต่มันก็คุ้มครองในฐานะงานศิลป์นะจ๊ะ บ่ช่ายในฐานะโปรแกรมคอมพิวเตอร์ย่ะ
Electronically Created TypefacesTypefaces ที่สร้างโดยวิธีการทางอิเล็กทรอนิกส์ (ไอ้แบบที่เว็บนี้ทำกันนั่นแหละ)
What is not made clear in the Act, but follows from basic principles of copyright is that electronically created fonts are protected by copyright, provided they are original. The protection is an indirect means of protecting the individual characters.
แม้แต่กฎหมายอังกฤษก็ยังไม่ค่อยเคลียร์ในประเด็นนี้ แต่เอาเป็นว่ามันคุ้มครองแบบลิขสิทธิ์นั่นแหละ
Fonts are delivered in TrueType font, OpenFonts or PostScript formats. Each of these font formats are delivered as electronic files for installation on a Windows, Apple or Linux operating systems. These files qualify as literary works for the purposes of Part I of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 UK . Reproductions of these files must exist on the computer in order to be used as part of an application, such as InDesign, OpenOffice or Microsoft Word. The existence of these files on a PC in themselves are infringements, as the file has been copied in its entirety and is reproduced on the computer. Other qualifying criterion for copyright protection must be proved such as originality, (which is a low threshold test for protection under copyright law) in order to be successful in a claim for copyright infringement.
ฟอนต์เนีียะ สร้างมาไม่ว่าจะในรูปแบบ format ของ TrueType, OpenFonts หรือ PostScript มันก็เป็นข้อมูลอิเล็กทรอนิกส์ที่ใช้งานผ่านระบบปฏิบัติการทั้งหลายซึ่งกฎหมายอังกฤษก็คุ้มครองในฐานะงานประพันธ์อันมีลิขสิทธิ์ (ครือๆกับงานศิลป์แหละ) โดยฟอนต์พวกนี้เรียกใช้จากโปรแกรมประมวลผลคำทั้งหลาย
แค่คอมพิวเตอร์เรามีฟอนต์ที่ละเมิดเขามา มันก็ผิดแล้ว ไม่พักต้องพูดว่าจะเอาฟอนต์พวกนี้ไปใช้เล้ย มันต้องผิดเต็มๆแน่ๆ
Industrially Produced TypefacesAlthough there is an international convention governing the law applying to typefaces, it is not designed to protect the most pervasive forms of typefaces: electronic fonts. The Vienna Agreement for the Protection of Type Faces and their International Deposit, 12 June 1973 is designed to protect typefaces produced in industry by a mechanical process. UK law allows for the registration of these typefaces as designs, however registered designs law as it applies to the online industry is in our view largely ineffective.
ในอดีตก็เคยมีการพูดถึงการคุ้มครองฟอนต์ในทางกฎหมายระหว่างประเทศนะ แต่ก็ยังไม่มีใครพูดถึงฟอนต์อิเล็กทรอนิกส์เลย แต่อย่าทำหน้าเศร้าไป ตอนนี้มีข้อตกลงเวียนนาฯ แล้วนะ มันพูดถึงการคุ้มครอง typeface ในการใช้ทางอุตสาหกรรมด้วยกระบวนการทางคณิตศาสตร์ (คงประมาณพูดถึงการใช้ typeface ที่ผลิตด้วยวิธีการทางเวกเตอร์ประมาณนั้นมั้ง) เมื่อเป็นเช่นนี้จะช้าอยู่ใย อังกฤษก็รับเอาข้อตกลงนี้มาเขียนกฎหมายให้ท่านปวดหัวเล่นอยู่ในขณะนี้ไง ใจความหลักคือ คุ้มครอง typeface ในฐานะงานออกแบบ (ครือๆกับงานศิลป์นั่นแหละ) แต่ต้องมีการจดทะเบียนนะพี่น้อง
Designs law in the UK is designed to protect industrially prepared typefaces for use in a manufacturing process. Individual characters forming part of a typeface are protected as graphic works, sculpture or engravings.
แต่กฎหมายฉบับนี้ก็บัญญัติมาให้คุ้มครอง typeface ทั้งชุดนะ ถ้าคิดจะให้คุ้มครองรูปแบบอักขระแค่บางตัวก็กลับไปใช้กฎหมายลิขสิทธิ์เดิมๆในฐานะงานศิลป์แล้วกัน
Where letters, numerals and special characters in a font begin their life as drawings, the drawings of each character are protected individually by copyright as artistic works. In extreme cases, characters may be considered works of artistic craftsmanship, however in most cases the typeface need not be characterised as a work of artistic craftsmanship for intellectual property protection in the UK .
แปลไม่ออก คงประมาณว่าแม้ typeface จะสร้างขึ้นมาจากอักขระแต่ละตัวที่คุ้มครองโดยกม.ลิขสิทธิในฐานะงานศิลป์ แต่พอมันรวมๆกันเป็น typeface แล้วมันก็ได้รับการคุ้มครองแบบ typeface ซึ่งไม่เหมือนกับการคุ้มครองแบบแต่ละอักขระ (มั้ง)
Protection as Registered Designsปกป้องโดยการจดทะเบียน
Protection by registration is required for each character, and the characters must be made and sold separately. Given the industry practice and commercial realities in the vast majority of instances, protection will not economically worthwhile. A single design registration in the UK alone attracts a fee from the Designs Registry of the Patent Office of £60 per registration.
เวลาจดทะเบียนเนี๊ยะ ก็จดกันทีละอักขระเลยนะ คิดๆแล้วแต่ละ typeface รัฐคงได้เงินประมาณ 60 ปอนด์สเตอลิงเชียว
Enforcementการบังคับสิทธิ
End users and intermediate users of mechanical typefaces such as printers and graphic designers are not liable for copyright infringement of a design where they use the typeface in the ordinary course of their business, namely typing, composing text, typesetting and printing. The policy behind this rationale is that courts would become overburdened by legal proceedings by the thousands of parties they may be joined to the litigation. Instead, relief is designed to sought from manufacturers and resellers of typefaces. This focuses on those dealing with the infringing material.
ผู้ใช้ปลายทางทั่วไปเช่นโรงพิมพ์ กราฟิกดีไซน์ ฯลฯ ไม่ค่อยจะโดนกันซักเท่าไหร่ถ้าใช้อยู่ภายในธุรกิจ ใช้กันภายใน เหตุผลเบื้องหลังคือถ้าเอากันจริงๆคงต้องสร้างศาลใหม่อีกเยอะแน่ๆเพราะทำกันเยอะ (เหมือนกันกับที่บริษัทหนังไม่ตามจับคนดูด/ปล่อยบิตนั่นแหละ) ดังนั้นเป้าหมายหลักคือ เล่นตัวใหญ่เช่นพวกละเมิดเป็นธุรกิจหรือละเมิดแล้วเอาไปขายดีกว่า ดูมีน้ำมีเนื้อกว่ากันเยอะ (เหมือนๆกับไม่จับคนดูของปลอมตามบ้าน ทลายโรงปั๊มแผ่นดีกว่า ประมาณนั้น)
Companies that deal with articles that make, import or deal with products or services specifically designed to produce a typeface protected by copyright are susceptible to a claim for what is known as secondary infringement, and orders to deliver up offending products. In extreme cases, dealing with typefaces unlawfully may be a criminal offence.
ไอ้พวกบริษัทห้างร้านที่ต้องใช้ typeface ก็จะเป็นเหยื่ออันดับรองๆในการกวาดจับการละเมิด ซวยหนักๆอาจโดนฟ้องคดีอาญาก็ได้นะ
Protection for typefaces as artistic works under English copyright law lasts for 25 years from the end of the year which they are first marketed.
การปกป้อง typeface ในอังกฤษมีอายุการคุ้มครอง ๒๕ ปีนับแต่ขายครั้งแรก
Leigh Ellis is an IPR lawyer at Gillhams Solicitors in London. As a specialist intellectual property lawyer, he provides legal advice on licensing, selling and acquiring software and copyright disputesArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=L_Ellisคนเขียนนะเขียนดี แต่คนแปลนะห่วย เผลอๆแปลผิดทั้งหมดอีก คนเก่งอังกฤษจริงๆช่วยแปลให้ถูกด้วยนะครับ
ตบท้ายด้วยข้อตกลงเวียนนาว่าด้วยเรื่องฟอนต์
VIENNA AGREEMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF TYPE FACES AND THEIR INTERNATIONAL DEPOSIT
THE CONTRACTING STATES,
DESIRING, in order to encourage the creation of type faces, to provide an effective protection thereof,
CONSCIOUS of the role which type faces play in the dissemination of culture and of the special requirements which their protection must fulfil,
HAVE AGREED as follows:
INTRODUCTORY PROVISIONS
Article 1
Establishment of a Union
The States party to this Agreement constitute a Union for the protection of type faces.
Article 2
Definitions
For the purposes of this Agreement and the Regulations,
(i) "type faces" means sets of designs of:
(a) letters and alphabets as such with their accessories such as accents and punctuation marks,
(b) numerals and other figurative signs such as conventional signs, symbols and scientific signs,
(c) ornaments such as borders, fleurons and vignettes, which are intended to provide means for composing texts by any graphic technique. The term "type faces" does not include type faces of a form dictated by purely technical requirements;
(ii) "International Register" means the International Register of Type Faces;
(iii) "international deposit" means the deposit effected for the purposes of recording in the International Register;
(iv) "applicant" means the natural person who, or the legal entity which, effects an international deposit;
(v) "owner of the international deposit" means the natural person or the legal entity in whose name the international deposit is recorded in the International Register;
(vi) "Contracting States" means the States party to this Agreement;
(vii) "Union" means the Union established by this Agreement;
(viii) "Assembly" means the Assembly of the Union;
(ix) "Paris Convention" means the Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property signed on 20 March 1883, including any of its revisions;
(x) "Organization" means the World Intellectual Property Organization;
(xi) "International Bureau" means the International Bureau of the Organization and, as long as it subsists, the United International Bureaux for the Protection of Intellectual Property (BIRPI);
(xii) "Director General" means the Director General of the Organization;
(xiii) "Regulations" means the Regulations under this Agreement.
CHAPTER I
NATIONAL PROTECTION
Article 3
Principle and kinds of protection
The Contracting States undertake, in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, to ensure the protection of type faces, by establishing a special national deposit, or by adapting the deposit provided for in their national industrial design laws, or by their national copyright provisions. These kinds of protection may be cumulative.
Article 4
Natural persons and legal entities protected
(1) In Contracting States which declare under Article 34 that they intend to ensure protection by establishing a special national deposit or by adapting their national industrial design laws, the protection of this Agreement shall apply to natural persons who, or legal entities which, are residents or nationals of a Contracting State.
(2) (a) In Contracting States which declare under Article 34 that they intend to ensure protection by their national copyright provisions, the protection of this Agreement shall apply to:
(i) creators of type faces who are nationals of one of the Contracting States;
(ii) creators of type faces who are not nationals of one of the Contracting States but whose type faces are published for the first time in one of such States.
(b) Any Contracting State referred to in subparagraph (a) may assimilate creators of type faces who have their habitual residence or domicile in a Contracting State to creators of type faces who are nationals of that State.
(3) For the purposes of the Agreement, any association of natural persons or legal entities which, under the national law of the State according to which it is constituted, may acquire rights and assume obligations, notwithstanding the fact that it is not a legal entity, shall be assimilated to a legal entity. However, any Contracting State may protect, in lieu of the said association, the natural persons or legal entities constituting it.
Article 5
National treatment
(1) Each Contracting State shall be obliged to grant to all natural persons and legal entities entitled to claim the benefits of this Agreement the protection afforded to its nationals according to the kind of protection which such Contracting State declares under Article 34.
(2) If a Contracting State referred to in Article 4(2) requires, under its domestic law, compliance with formalities as a condition of protecting type faces, these should be considered as fulfilled, with respect to type faces whose creators are referred to in Article 4(2), if all the copies of the type faces published with the authority of the creator or other owner entitled to protection are accompanied by or, as the case may be, bear a notice consisting of the symbol © accompanied by the name of the owner entitled to protection and the year date of the first such publication placed in such a manner as to give reasonable notice of claim of protection.
Article 6
Concepts of residence and nationality
(1) (a) Any natural person shall be regarded as a resident of a Contracting State for the purposes of Articles 4(1) and 13 if:
(i) according to the national law of that State he is a resident of that State, or
(ii) he has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in that State.
(b) Any natural person shall be regarded as a national of a Contracting State for the purposes of Articles 4(1) and 13 if, according to the national law of that State, he is a national of that State.
(2) (a) Any legal entity shall be regarded as a resident of a Contracting State for the purposes of Articles 4(1) and 13 if it has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in that State.
(b) Any legal entity shall be regarded as a national of a Contracting State for the purposes of Articles 4(1) and 13 if it is constituted according to the national law of that State.
(3) Where any natural person or legal entity invoking the benefits of this Agreement is a resident of one State and a national of another State, and where only one of those States is a Contracting State, the Contracting State alone shall be considered for the purposes of this Agreement and the Regulations.
Article 7
Conditions of protection
(1) The protection of type faces shall be subject to the condition that they be novel, or to the condition that they be original, or to both conditions.
(2) The novelty and the originality of type faces shall be determined in relation to their style or overall appearance, having regard, if necessary, to the criteria recognized by the competent professional circles.
Article 8
Content of protection
(1) Protection of type faces shall confer upon the owner thereof the right to prohibit:
(i) the making, without his consent, of any reproduction, whether identical or slightly modified, intended to provide means for composing texts by any graphic technique, irrespective of the technical means or material used;
(ii) the commercial distribution or importation of such reproductions without his consent.
(2) (a) Subject to subparagraph (b), the right defined in paragraph (1) applies irrespective of whether or not the protected type faces have been known to the maker of the reproduction.
(b) Contracting States in which originality is a condition of protection are not required to apply subparagraph (a).
(3) The right provided for in paragraph (1) shall also cover any reproduction of type faces obtained by the distortion, by any purely technical means, of the protected type faces, where the essential features thereof remain recognizable.
(4) The making of elements of type faces, by a person acquiring type faces, during the ordinary course of the composition of texts, shall not be considered a reproduction within the meaning of paragraph (1)(i).
(5) Contracting States may take legislative measures to avoid abuses which might result from the exercise of the exclusive right provided under this Agreement in cases where, apart from the protected type faces in question, no other type faces are available in order to achieve a particular purpose in the public interest. The legislative measures shall not, however, prejudice the right of the owner to just remuneration for the use of his type faces. Nor shall the protection of type faces under any circumstances be subject to any forfeiture either by reason of failure to work or by reason of the importation of reproductions of the protected type faces.
Article 9
Term of protection
(1) The term of protection may not be less than fifteen years.
(2) The term of protection may be divided into several periods, each extension being granted only at the request of the owner of the protected type faces.
Article 10
Cumulative protection
The provisions of this Agreement shall not preclude the making of a claim to the benefit of any more extensive protection granted by national laws and shall in no way affect the protection granted by other international conventions.
Article 11
Right of priority
For the purposes of the right of priority, if applicable, national deposits of type faces shall be considered deposits of industrial designs.
CHAPTER II
INTERNATIONAL DEPOSIT
Article 12
International deposit and recording
(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), the international deposit shall be effected direct with the International Bureau, which shall record it in the International Register in accordance with this Agreement and the Regulations.
(2) (a) The national law of any Contracting State may provide that international deposits by natural persons or legal entities residing in the respective State may be effected through the intermediary of the competent Office of that State.
(b) Where an international deposit is effected, as provided for in subparagraph (a), through the intermediary of a competent Office of a Contracting State, that Office shall indicate the date on which it received the international deposit and shall transmit the said deposit in good time to the International Bureau in the manner provided for in the Regulations.
Article 13
Right to effect international deposits and to own such deposits
(1) Any natural person who, or legal entity which, is a resident or a national of a Contracting State may effect and be the owner of international deposits.
(2) (a) Any association of natural persons or legal entities which, under the national law of the State according to which it is constituted, may acquire rights and assume obligations, notwithstanding the fact that it is not a legal entity, shall have the right to effect international deposits and to own such deposits if it is a resident or national of a Contracting State.
(b) Subparagraph (a) shall be without prejudice to the application of the national law of any Contracting State. However, no such State shall refuse or cancel the effects provided for in Article 18 with respect to an association of the kind referred to in subparagraph (a) on the ground that it is not a legal entity if, within two months from the date of an invitation addressed to it by the competent Office of that State, the said association files with that Office a list of the names and addresses of all the natural persons or legal entities constituting it, together with a declaration that its members are engaged in a joint enterprise. In such a case, the said State may consider the natural persons or legal entities constituting the said association to be the owners of the international deposit, in lieu of the association itself, provided that the said persons or entities fulfil the conditions set forth in paragraph (1).
Article 14
Contents and form of the international deposit
(1) The international deposit shall contain:
(i) a signed instrument of international deposit declaring that the deposit is effected under this Agreement, and indicating the identity, residence, nationality and address of the applicant as well as the name of the creator of the type faces for which protection is sought or that the creator has renounced being mentioned as such;
(ii) a representation of the type faces;
(iii) payment of the prescribed fees.
(2) The instrument of international deposit may contain:
(i) a declaration claiming the priority of one or more earlier deposits effected in or for one or more States party to the Paris Convention;
(ii) an indication of the denomination given to the type faces by the applicant;
(iii) the appointment of a representative;
(iv) such additional indications as are provided for in the Regulations.
(3) The instrument of international deposit shall be in one of the languages prescribed by the Regulations.
Article 15
Recording or declining of the international deposit
(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the International Bureau shall promptly record the international deposit in the International Register. The date of the international deposit shall be the date on which it was received by the International Bureau or, if the international deposit has been effected, as provided for in Article 12(2), through the intermediary of the competent Office of a Contracting State, the date on which that Office received the deposit, provided that the deposit reaches the International Bureau before the expiration of a period of one month following that date.
(2) (a) Where the International Bureau finds any of the following defects, it shall invite the applicant, unless it is clearly impossible to reach him, to correct the defect within three months from the date on which it sent the invitation:
(i) the instrument of international deposit does not contain an indication that it is effected under this Agreement;
(ii) the instrument of international deposit does not contain such indications concerning the residence and nationality of the applicant as to permit the conclusion that he has the right to effect international deposits;
(iii) the instrument of international deposit does not contain such indications concerning the applicant as are necessary to permit him to be identified and reached by mail;
(iv) the instrument of international deposit does not contain an indication of the name of the creator of the type faces or of the fact that the creator has renounced being mentioned as such;
(v) the instrument of international deposit is not signed;
(vi) the instrument of international deposit is not in one of the languages prescribed by the Regulations;
(vii) the international deposit does not contain a representation of the type faces;
(viii) the prescribed fees have not been paid.
(b) If the defect or defects are corrected in due time, the International Bureau shall record the international deposit in the International Register, and the date of the international deposit shall be the date on which the International Bureau receives the correction of the said defect or defects.
(c) If the defect or defects are not corrected in due time, the International Bureau shall decline the international deposit, inform the applicant accordingly, and reimburse to him part of the fees paid, as provided in the Regulations. If the international deposit is effected through the intermediary of the competent Office of a Contracting State, as provided for in Article 12(2), the International Bureau shall also inform that Office of the declining.
Article 16
Avoiding certain effects of declining
(1) Where the International Bureau has declined the international deposit, the applicant may, within two months from the date of the notification of the declining, effect, in respect of the type faces that were the subject of the international deposit, a national deposit with the competent Office of any Contracting State which ensures the protection of type faces by establishing a special national deposit or by adapting the deposit provided for in its national industrial design law.
(2) If the competent Office or any other competent authority of that Contracting State finds that the International Bureau has declined the international deposit in error, and provided the national deposit complies with all the requirements of the national law of the said State, the said national deposit shall be treated as if it had been effected on the date which would have been the date of the international deposit had that international deposit not been declined.
Article 17
Publication and notification of the international deposit
International deposits recorded in the International Register shall be published by the International Bureau and notified by the latter to the competent Offices of the Contracting States.
Article 18
Effect of the international deposit
(1) In Contracting States which declare in accordance with Article 34 that they intend to ensure the protection of type faces by establishing a special national deposit or by adapting the deposit provided for in their national industrial design laws, the international deposit recorded in the International Register shall have the same effect as a national deposit effected on the same date.
(2) The Contracting States referred to in paragraph (1) may not require that the applicant comply with any additional formality, with the exception of such formalities as may be prescribed by their national laws for the exercise of the rights. However, Contracting States which undertake an ex officio novelty examination or make provision for opposition proceedings may prescribe the formalities required by such examination or such proceedings and charge the fees, with the exception of the publication fee, provided for in their national laws for such examination, the grant of protection and the renewal thereof.
Article 19
Right of priority
(1) For the purposes of the right of priority, if applicable, the international deposit of type faces shall be considered an industrial design deposit within the meaning of Article 4A of the Paris Convention.
(2) The international deposit shall be a regular filing within the meaning of Article 4A of the Paris Convention if it is not declined pursuant to Article 15(2)(c) of this Agreement, and shall be considered to have been effected on the date accorded to it under Article 15(1) or (2)(b) of this Agreement.
Article 20
Change in the ownership of the international deposit
(1) Any change in the ownership of the international deposit shall, on request, be recorded in the International Register by the International Bureau.
(2) The change in the ownership of the international deposit shall not be recorded in the International Register if, according to the indications furnished by the person requesting the recording of the change, the new owner of the international deposit does not have the right to effect international deposits.
(3) The change in the ownership of the international deposit may relate to one or more of the Contracting States referred to in Article 18(1). In such a case, renewal of the international deposit must subsequently be applied for separately by each of the owners of the international deposit as far as he is concerned.
(4) The request for the recording of a change in the ownership of the international deposit shall be presented in the form, and accompanied by the fee, prescribed in the Regulations.
(5) The International Bureau shall record the change in the ownership of the international deposit in the International Register, shall publish it, and shall notify it to the competent Offices of the Contracting States.
(6) The recording of the change in the ownership of the international deposit in the International Register shall have the same effect as if the request for such recording had been filed direct with the competent Office of each of the Contracting States referred to in Article 18(1) which are concerned by the said change in ownership.
Article 21
Withdrawal and renunciation of the international deposit
(1) The applicant may withdraw his international deposit by a declaration addressed to the International Bureau.
(2) The owner of the international deposit may at any time renounce his international deposit by a declaration addressed to the International Bureau.
(3) Withdrawal and renunciation may relate to a part or the whole of the type faces which are the subject of the international deposit, or to their denomination, and to one or more of the Contracting States referred to in Article 18(1).
(4) The International Bureau shall record the renunciation in the International Register, shall publish it, and shall notify it to the competent Offices of the Contracting States.
(5) Renunciation recorded in the International Register shall have the same effect as if it had been communicated direct to the competent Office of each of the Contracting States referred to in Article 18(1).
Article 22
Other amendments to the international deposit
(1) The owner of the international deposit may at any time amend the indications appearing in the instrument of international deposit.
(2) Type faces which are the subject of an international deposit may not be amended.
(3) Amendments shall be subject to the payment of the fees prescribed in the Regulations.
(4) The International Bureau shall record amendments in the International Register, shall publish them, and shall notify them to the competent Offices of the Contracting States.
(5) Amendments recorded in the International Register shall have the same effect as if they had been communicated direct to the competent Office of each of the Contracting States referred to in Article 18(1).
Article 23
Term and renewal of the international deposit
(1) The international deposit shall have effect for an initial term of ten years from the date of such deposit.
(2) The effect of the international deposit may be extended for terms of five years on the basis of demands for renewal submitted by the owner of the international deposit.
(3) Each new term shall commence on the day following that on which the previous term expires.
(4) The demand for renewal shall be presented in the form, and accompanied by the fees, prescribed by the Regulations.
(5) The International Bureau shall record the renewal in the International Register, shall publish it, and shall notify it to the competent Offices of the Contracting States.
(6) Renewal of the international deposit shall replace such renewals as may be provided for in the national laws. However, the international deposit may not, in any Contracting State referred to in Article 18(1), have effect after the maximum term of protection provided for in the national law of that State has expired.
Article 24
Regional treaties
(1) Two or more Contracting States may notify the Director General that a common Office shall be substituted for the national Office of each of them, and that their territories, as a whole, shall be deemed a single State for the purposes of international deposit.
(2) Such notification shall take effect three months after the date on which the Director General receives it.
Article 25
Representation before the lnternational Bureau
(1) Applicants and owners of international deposits may be represented before the International Bureau by any person empowered by them to that effect (hereinafter referred to as "the duly appointed representative").
(2) Any invitation, notification or other communication addressed by the International Bureau to the duly appointed representative shall have the same effect as if it had been addressed to the applicant or the owner of the international deposit. Any deposit, request, demand, declaration or other document whose signature by the applicant or the owner of the international deposit is required in proceedings before the International Bureau, except the document appointing the representative or revoking his appointment, may be signed by his duly appointed representative, and any communication from the duly appointed representative to the International Bureau shall have the same effect as if it had been effected by the applicant or the owner of the international deposit.
(3) (a) Where there are several applicants, they shall appoint a common representative. In the absence of such appointment, the applicant first named in the instrument of international deposit shall be considered the duly appointed representative of all the applicants.
(b) Where there are several owners of an international deposit, they shall appoint a common representative. In the absence of such appointment, the natural person or legal entity first named among the said owners in the International Register shall be considered the duly appointed common representative of all the owners of the international deposit.
(c) Subparagraph (b) shall not apply to the extent that the owners own the international deposit in respect of different Contracting States.
CHAPTER III
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
Article 26
Assembly
(1) (a) The Assembly shall consist of the Contracting States.
(b) The Government of each Contracting State shall be represented by one delegate, who may be assisted by alternate delegates, advisors, and experts.
(2) (a) The Assembly shall:
(i) deal with all matters concerning the maintenance and development of the Union and the implementation of this Agreement;
(ii) exercise such rights and perform such tasks as are specially conferred upon it or assigned to it under this Agreement;
(iii) give directions to the Director General concerning the preparation for revision conferences;
(iv) review and approve the reports and activities of the Director General concerning the Union, and give him all necessary instructions concerning matters within the competence of the Union;
(v) determine the program, adopt the triennial budget of the Union, and approve its final accounts;
(vi) adopt the financial regulations of the Union;
(vii) establish such committees and working groups as it deems appropriate to facilitate the work of the Union and of its organs;
(viii) determine which States other than Contracting States and which intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations shall be admitted to its meetings as observers;
(ix) take any other appropriate action designed to further the objectives of the Union and perform such other functions as are appropriate under this Agreement.
(b) With respect to matters which are of interest also to other Unions administered by the Organization, the Assembly shall make its decisions after having heard the advice of the Coordination Committee of the Organization.
(3) A delegate may represent, and vote in the name of, one Contracting State only.
(4) Each Contracting State shall have one vote.
(5) (a) One-half of the Contracting States shall constitute a quorum.
(b) In the absence of the quorum, the Assembly may make decisions but, with the exception of decisions concerning its own procedure, all such decisions shall take effect only if the quorum and the required majority are attained through voting by correspondence as provided in the Regulations.
(6) (a) Subject to the provisions of Articles 29(3) and 32(2)(b), the decisions of the Assembly shall require a majority of the votes cast.
(b) Abstentions shall not be considered as votes.
(7) (a) The Assembly shall meet once in every third calendar year in ordinary session upon convocation by the Director General, preferably during the same period and at the same places as the General Assembly of the Organization.
(b) The Assembly shall meet in extraordinary session upon convocation by the Director General, either on his own initiative or at the request of one-fourth of the Contracting States.
(8) The Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure.
Article 27
International Bureau
(1) The International Bureau shall:
(i) perform the administrative tasks concerning the Union; in particular, it shall perform such tasks as are specifically assigned to it under this Agreement or by the Assembly;
(ii) provide the secretariat of revision conferences, of the Assembly, of committees and working groups established by the Assembly, and of any other meeting convened by the Director General and dealing with matters of concern to the Union.
(2) The Director General shall be the chief executive of the Union and shall represent the Union.
(3) The Director General shall convene any committee and working group established by the Assembly and all other meetings dealing with matters of concern to the Union.
(4) (a) The Director General and any staff member designated by him shall participate, without the right to vote, in all meetings of the Assembly, the committees and working groups established by the Assembly, and any other meeting convened by the Director General and dealing with matters of concern to the Union.
(b) The Director General, or a staff member designated by him, shall be ex officio secretary of the Assembly, and of the committees, working groups and other meetings referred to in subparagraph (a).
(5) (a) The Director General shall, in accordance with the directions of the Assembly, make the preparations for revision conferences.
(b) The Director General may consult with intergovernmental and international non-governmental organizations concerning the preparations for revision conferences.
(c) The Director General and persons designated by him shall take part, without the right to vote, in the discussions at revision conferences.
(d) The Director General, or a staff member designated by him, shall be ex officio secretary of any revision conference.
Article 28
Finances
(1) (a) The Union shall have a budget.
(b) The budget of the Union shall include the income and expenses proper to the Union, its contribution to the budget of expenses common to the Unions administered by the Organization and any sum made available to the budget of the Conference of the Organization.
(c) Expenses not attributable exclusively to the Union but also to one or more other Unions administered by the Organization shall be regarded as expenses common to the Unions. The share of the Union in such common expenses shall be in proportion to the interest the Union has in them.
(2) The budget of the Union shall be established with due regard to the requirements of coordination with the budgets of the other Unions administered by the Organization.
(3) (a) The budget of the Union shall be financed from the following sources:
(i) fees and other charges due for services rendered by the International Bureau in relation to the Union;
(ii) sale of, or royalties on, the publications of the International Bureau concerning the Union;
(iii) gifts, bequests, and subventions;
(iv) rents, interests, and other miscellaneous income;
(v) the contributions of Contracting States, in so far as income deriving from the sources mentioned under (i) to (iv) is not sufficient to cover the expenses of the Union.
(b) The amounts of fees and charges due to the International Bureau under subparagraph (a)(i) and the prices of its publications shall be so fixed that they should, under normal circumstances, be sufficient to cover the expenses of the International Bureau connected with the administration of this Agreement.
(c) If the income exceeds the expenses, the difference shall be credited to a reserve fund.
(d) If the budget is not adopted before the beginning of a new financial period, it shall be at the same level as the budget of the previous year, as provided in the financial regulations.
(4) (a) For the purpose of establishing its contribution as provided in paragraph (3)(a)(v), each Contracting State shall belong to a class, and shall pay its contribution on the basis of a number of units fixed as follows:
Class I 25
Class II 20
Class III 15
Class IV 10
Class V 5
Class VI 3
Class VII 1
(b) Unless it has already done so, each Contracting State shall indicate concurrently with depositing its instrument of ratification or accession, the class to which it wishes to belong. Any country may change class. If it chooses a lower class, it must announce such change to the Assembly at one of its ordinary sessions. Any such change shall take effect at the beginning of the calendar year following the said session.
(c) The contribution of each Contracting State shall be an amount in the same proportion to the total sum to be contributed as the number of its units is to the total of the units of all the Contracting States.
(d) Contributions shall be payable on the first of January of the year for which they are due.
(5) (a) The Union shall have a working capital fund which shall be constituted by a single payment made by each Contracting State. If the fund becomes insufficient, the Assembly shall arrange to increase it. If part of the fund is no longer needed, it shall be reimbursed.
(b) The amount of the initial payment of each Contracting State to the said fund or of its participation in the increase thereof shall be a proportion of the contribution which that State may be required to pay under paragraph (3)(a)(v) for the year in which the fund is established or the decision to increase it is made.
(c) The proportion and the terms of payment shall be fixed by the Assembly on the proposal of the Director General and after it has heard the advice of the Coordination Committee of the Organization.
(d) Any reimbursement under subparagraph (a) shall be proportionate to the amounts paid by each Contracting State, taking into account the dates at which they were paid.
(e) If a working capital fund of sufficient amount can be constituted by borrowing from the reserve fund, the Assembly may suspend the application of subparagraphs (a) to (d).
(6) (a) In the headquarters agreement concluded with the State on the territory of which the Organization has its headquarters, it shall be provided that, whenever the working capital fund is insufficient, such State shall grant advances. The amount of those advances and the conditions on which they are granted shall be the subject of separate agreements, in each case, between such State and the Organization. As long as it remains under the obligation to grant advances, such State shall have an ex officio seat in the Assembly if it is not a Contracting State.
(b) The State referred to in subparagraph (a) and the Organization shall each have the right to denounce the obligation to grant advances, by written notification. Denunciation shall take effect three years after the end of the year in which it has been notified.
(7) The auditing of the accounts shall be effected by one or more of the Contracting States or by external auditors, as provided in the financial regulations. They shall be designated, with their agreement, by the Assembly.
Article 29
Regulations
(1) The Regulations provide rules:
(i) concerning matters in respect of which this Agreement expressly refers to the Regulations or expressly provides that they are or shall be prescribed;
(ii) concerning any administrative requirements, matters or procedures;
(iii) concerning any details useful in the implementation of this Agreement.
(2) The Regulations adopted at the same time as this Agreement are annexed to this Agreement.
(3) The Assembly may amend the Regulations, and such amendments shall require two-thirds of the votes cast.
(4) In the case of conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those of the Regulations, the provisions of this Agreement shall prevail.
CHAPTER IV
DISPUTES
Article 30
Disputes
(1) Any dispute between two or more Contracting States concerning the interpretation or application of this Agreement or the Regulations, not settled by negotiation, may, by any of the Contracting States concerned, be brought before the lnternational Court of Justice by application in conformity with the Statute of the Court, unless the Contracting States concerned agree on some other method of settlement. The Contracting State bringing the dispute before the Court shall inform the International Bureau; the International Bureau shall bring the matter to the attention of the other Contracting States.
(2) Each Contracting State may, at the time it signs this Agreement or deposits its instrument of ratification or accession, declare that it does not consider itself bound by the provisions of paragraph (1). With regard to any dispute between any Contracting State having made such a declaration and any other Contracting State, the provisions of paragraph (1) shall not apply.
(3) Any Contracting State having made a declaration in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2) may, at any time, withdraw its declaration by notification addressed to the Director General.
CHAPTER V
REVISION AND AMENDMENT
Article 31
Revision of the Agreement
(1) This Agreement may be revised from time to time by a conference of the Contracting States.
(2) The convocation of any revision conference shall be decided by the Assembly.
(3) Articles 26, 27, 28 and 32 may be amended either by a revision conference or according to the provisions of Article 32.
Article 32
Amendment of certain provisions of the Agreement
(1) (a) Proposals for the amendment of Articles 26, 27, 28 and the present Article, may be initiated by any Contracting State or by the Director General.
(b) Such proposals shall be communicated by the Director General to the Contracting States at least six months in advance of their consideration by the Assembly.
(2) (a) Amendments to the Articles referred to in paragraph (1) shall be adopted by the Assembly.
(b) Adoption shall require three-fourths of the votes cast, provided that adoption of any amendment to Article 26 and to the present subparagraph shall require four-fifths of the votes cast.
(3) (a) Any amendment to the Articles referred to in paragraph (1) shall enter into force one month after written notifications of acceptance, effected in accordance with their respective constitutional process, have been received by the Director General from three-fourths of the Contracting States members of the Assembly at the time the Assembly adopted the amendment.
(b) Any amendment to the said Articles thus accepted shall bind all the Contracting States which were Contracting States at the time the amendment was adopted by the Assembly, provided that any amendment increasing the financial obligations of the said Contracting States shall bind only those States which have notified their acceptance of such amendment.
(c) Any amendment which has been accepted and which has entered into force in accordance with the provisions of subparagraph (a) shall bind all States which become Contracting States after the date on which the amendment was adopted by the Assembly.
CHAPTER VI
FINAL PROVISIONS
Article 33
Becoming party to the Agreement
(1) (a) Subject to subparagraph (b), any State member of either the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property or the International Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, or party to the Universal Copyright Convention or to the latter Convention as revised, may become party to this Agreement by:
(i) signature followed by the deposit of an instrument of ratification, or
(ii) deposit of an instrument of accession.
(b) States which intend to ensure the protection of type faces by establishing a special national deposit or by adapting the deposit provided for in their national industrial design laws may only become party to this Agreement if they are members of the International Union for the Protection of Industrial Property. States which intend to ensure the protection of type faces by their national copyright provisions may only become party to this Agreement if they are either members of the International Union for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works or party to the Universal Copyright Convention or to the latter Convention as revised.
(2) Instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Director General.
(3) The provisions of Article 24 of the Stockholm Act of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property shall apply to this Agreement.
(4) Paragraph (3) shall in no way be understood as implying the recognition or tacit acceptance by a Contracting State of the factual situation concerning a territory to which this Agreement is made applicable by another Contracting State by virtue of the said paragraph.
Article 34
Declarations concerning national protection
(1) At the time of depositing its instrument of ratification or accession, each State shall, by a notification addressed to the Director General, declare whether it intends to ensure the protection of type faces by establishing a special national deposit, or by adapting the deposit provided for in its national industrial design laws, or by its national copyright provisions or by more than one of these kinds of protection. Any such State which intends to ensure protection by its national copyright provisions shall declare at the same time whether it intends to assimilate creators of type faces who have their habitual residence or domicile in a Contracting State to creators of type faces who are nationals of that State.
(2) Any subsequent modification of the declarations made in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be indicated by a further notification addressed to the Director General.
Article 35
Entry into force of the Agreement
(1) This Agreement shall enter into force three months after five States have deposited their instruments of ratification or accession.
(2) Any State which is not among those re
