IP/N/1/EU/C/8  
 
12 April 2013  
(13-1945)  Page: 1/4  
Council for Trade-Related Aspects 
of Intellectual Property Rights  Original: English/anglais/inglés  
 
 MAIN DEDICATED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS AND 
REGULATIONS NOTIFIED UNDER ARTICLE 63.2 
OF THE AGREEMENT 
EUROPEAN UNION 
This document reproduces the text1 of the Council Decision of 16 March 2000 on the approval, on 
behalf of the European Community, of the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and 
Phonograms Treaty, as notified by the European  Union on 20 March 2013 under Article 63.2 of the 
Agreement (see document IP/N/1/EU/1). 
 
Conseil des aspects des droits de propriété 
intellectuelle qui touchent au commerce 
PRINCIPALES LOIS ET RÉGLEMENTATIONS CONSACRÉES À 
LA PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE NOTIFIÉES AU TITRE 
DE L'ARTICLE 63:2 DE L'ACCORD 
UNION EUROPÉENNE  
Le présent document contient le texte1 de la Décision du Conseil du 16 mars 2000 relative à 
l'approbation, au nom de la Communauté européenne, du traité de l'OMPI sur le droit d'auteur et 
du traité de l'OMPI sur les interprétations et exécutions et sur les phonogrammes, notifiée par 
l'Union européenne le 20 mars 2013 au titre de  l'article 63:2 de l'Accord (voir le document 
IP/N/1/EU/1). 
 
Consejo de los Aspectos de los Derechos de Propiedad 
Intelectual relacionados con el Comercio 
PRINCIPALES LEYES Y REGLAMENTOS DEDICADOS A LA 
PROPIEDAD INTELECTUAL NOTIFICADOS EN VIRTUD 
DEL PÁRRAFO 2 DEL ARTÍCULO 63 DEL ACUERDO 
UNIÓN EUROPEA  
En el presente documento se reproduce el texto1 de la Decisión del Consejo, de 16 de marzo 
de 2000, relativa a la aprobación, en nombre de la Comunidad Europea, del Tratado de la OMPI sobre derecho de autor y del Tratado de la OMPI sobre interpretaciones o ejecuciones y 
fonogramas, notificado por la Unión Europea el 20 de marzo de 2013 en virtud de lo dispuesto en 
el párrafo 2 del artículo 63 del Acuerdo (véase el documento IP/N/1/EU/1).  
                                               
1 In English only./En anglais seulement./En inglés solamente. IP/N/1/EU/C/8 
 
- 2 - 
 
  PP 3-4 - Offset (Pdf file attached) 
PP 3 à 4 - Offset (fichier Pdf joint) PP 3-4 - Offset (fichero Pdf adjunto) EN OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.4.2000 L89/6
II
(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)
COUNCIL
COUNCIL DECISION
of 16 March 2000
on the approval, on behalf of the European Community, of the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the
WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (*)
(2000/278/EC)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Articles 47(2), 55 and 95thereof,inconjunctionwiththefirstsentenceofArticle300(2)and the second subparagraph of Article 300(3),
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(
1),
Having regard to the assent of the European Parliament(2),
Whereas:
(1)The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and the WIPO
Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) adoptedin Geneva on 20 December 1996 under the auspices oftheWorldIntellectualPropertyOrganisationwillhelptoensure a balanced level of protection for works andothersubjectmatter,whileallowingthepublicaccesstomaterial available via networks.
(2)The competence of the Community to conclude oraccede to international agreements or treaties does notderive only from explicit conferral by the Treaty butmayalsoderivefromotherprovisionsoftheTreatyandfrom acts adopted pursuant to those provisions byCommunity institutions.
(3)The subject matter of the WCT and the WPPT falls to alarge extent within the scope of existing Communitydirectives in this field.
(4)ItfollowsthattheapprovaloftheWCTandtheWPPTisamatterforboththeCommunityanditsMemberStates.(5)The WCT and the WPPT should therefore be approvedon behalf of the Community with regard to matterswithin its competence.
(6)The Community has already signed the WCT and theWPPT, subject to final conclusion.
(7)The deposit of the instruments of conclusion of theCommunityshouldtakeplaceasfaraspossiblesimulta-neously with the deposit of the instruments of ratifica-tion of the Member States,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
Article 1
1. The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) is hereby approvedon behalf of the Community with regard to matters within itscompetence.
2. The WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT)
isherebyapprovedonbehalfoftheCommunitywithregardtomatters within its competence.
3. The texts of the Treaties are attached to this Decision.
Article 2
ThePresidentoftheCouncilisherebyauthorisedtodepositthe
instruments of conclusion with the Director-General of theWorld Intellectual Property Organisation as from the date bywhich the Member States will have to bring into force themeasuresadoptedbytheEuropeanParliamentandtheCouncilnecessary to adapt the existing Community legislation to theobligations deriving from the WCT and the WPPT.
(*) Two statements relating to this Decision are set out in OJ C 103,
11.4.2000, page 1.
(1) OJ C 165, 30.5.1998, p. 8.
(2) Assent of 16 February 2000 (not yet published in the Official
Journal).
IP/N/1/EU/C/8 
        - 3 -EN OfficialJournaloftheEuropeanCommunities 11.4.2000 L89/7
Article 3
1. The Commission is hereby authorised to represent the
Community at the meetings of the Assemblies referred to inthe WCT and WPPT.
2. On all matters within the sphere of competence of the
Community, the Commission shall negotiate in the Assembliesof the WCT and the WPPT on behalf of the Community inaccordancewiththeapplicablerulesoftheECTreaty,inpartic-ular Article 300 thereof.3. The position which the Community may adopt withinthe Assemblies shall be prepared by the relevant Councilworking party.
Done at Brussels, 16 March 2000.
For the Council
The President
F. SEIXAS da COSTA
IP/N/1/EU/C/8 
        - 4 -