Washington, D.C. 20024. Telephone: (202) 707-8380. Telefax: (202) 707-
8366.

I. Background

On December 8, 1994, President Clinton signed the "Uruguay Round
Agreements Act" (URAA), Pub. L. No. 103-465, 108 Stat. 4809. The URAA
contains several significant copyright amendments. It amends the
software rental provision found in 17 U.S.C. 109(b) by eliminating the
expiration or sunset date, amends Titles 17 and 18 to create civil and
criminal remedies for "bootlegging" sound recordings of live musical
performances and music videos, and adds a new 17 U.S.C. Sec. 104A which
restores copyright in certain foreign works. The URAA also gives the
Copyright Office several responsibilities related to restoration of
those works.

A. Restoration of Copyright in Eligible Works

Under the URAA, restoration of copyright in works from countries which
are currently eligible occurs automatically on January 1, 1996. An
eligible country is a nation, other than the United States, that is a
member of the Berne Convention, <sup>1 or a member of

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the World Trade Organization, or is the subject of a presidential
proclamation declaring its eligibility.

\1\ Convention concerning the creation of an International Union
for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Sept. 9, 1886,</sup>