How to Register Copyright in the European Union

There is a lot of misinformation about copyright on the Internet with articles on how to copyright songs, copyright photos etc. all based on US law.

In the E.U you do not need to take any action to copyright any original work you create. The second you create it you automatically own the copyright.

The problem arises when you have to prove you were the original creator and that is why it can be useful to file your work with a copyright register.

#  Step 1: Decide if you really need to register the copyright on your original work. You already own the copyright, but registration will help you to prove it. If you are going to distribute your work online then registration may be a good idea.

#  Step 2: Choose a method of registration either offline or online.
–  You can register offline by visiting a lawyer or registered notary in your local community and asking him to store a sealed copy of your work. Make sure you get a signed contract stating the date of handover and that he keeps the sealed work in a secure and private location.

-You can register online at a number of different websites (for example ProveMyCopyrigt.com). Each of these will store your work in digital form and give some kind of certificate that you can use as proof of date. The difference between these registers tends to be whether you pay for an account with the company or pay for each individual piece of work you want to register.
#  Step 3: Sit back and relax. You can now verify that you are the copyright holder on your original works.

*  Learn a little about the Berne Convention on copyright. It gives you the same rights in 163 countries (including the US and all of Europe) as you do in your home country.
*  If you choose to register online with a company that offers an account based model, upload your work as you are making it, i.e drafts and work in progress as this tends to provide better proof that you are the original creator. It won’t cost you any more.