The aim of this Guide is to present, as simply and clearly as possible, the contents of the Berne Convention and to provide a number of explanations as to its nature, aims and scope.

The Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, from 1886 to 1986.

The Convention rests on three basic principles and contains a series of provisions determining the minimum protection to be granted, as well as special provisions available to developing countries which want to make use of them.

This work commemorates the centenary of the Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works which occurred in September 1986. The author deals in detail with the origins of the Convention and the development of international copyright protection as well as providing a complete historical analysis of the steps by which the present provisions of the Convention have been reached.