What does national treatment mean under the Berne Convention?

Under the Berne Convention, the principle of national treatment is a fundamental requirement that ensures copyright protection is applied equitably across member nations. It mandates that each signatory country must grant to the authors who are nationals of other member countries the same rights and protections that its own domestic laws provide to its own citizens.12

This provision ensures that foreign creators are not discriminated against and receive the same legal benefits as local authors within a member state's jurisdiction. By establishing this standard, the convention helps harmonize international copyright protections, ensuring that an author’s work is recognized and defended regardless of the country in which they reside or hold citizenship, provided those countries are part of the Berne Union.21