[Federal Register: January 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 14)]
[Notices]               
[Page 3574]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22ja99-116]

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Copyright Office
[Docket No. 99-1]

 
Change of Mailing Address for Notices of Intent To Enforce a 
Restored Copyright

AGENCY: Copyright Office, Library of Congress.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Copyright Office is notifying the public of a change of 
mailing address for the submission of Notices of Intent to Enforce 
(NIE) a restored copyright and registration claims in restored works 
under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA). The number of filings 
submitted during the first two years of the restoration period 
necessitated the use of a special post office box, but the number of 
such filings has dramatically decreased making it unnecessary for the 
Office to maintain this box. All future NIEs, and GATT registrations 
should be mailed to the pertinent address specified in this notice.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This notice is effective February 22, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marilyn J. Kretsinger, Assistant 
General Counsel, Copyright GC/I&R, P.O. Box 70400, Southwest Station, 
Washington, D.C. 20024. Telephone: (202) 707-8380. Telefax: (202) 707-
8366.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Uruguay Round General Agreement on 
Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA) 
(Pub. L. No. 103-465; 108 Stat. 4809 (1994)) provide for the 
restoration of copyright in certain works that were in the public 
domain in the United States. Copyright protection was restored on 
January 1, 1996, in certain works by foreign nationals or domiciliaries 
that had entered the public domain for failure to comply with certain 
requirements prescribed by U.S. copyright law. See, 17 U.S.C. 104A 
(1994).
    A copyright owner of any work meeting the requirements of section 
104A may register a copyright claim in the restored work during the 
life of the copyright. The copyright owner may file a Notice of Intent 
to Enforce (NIE) the restored copyright in the Copyright Office within 
two years of eligibility. This NIE serves as constructive notice on any 
reliance party--anyone who is already using the work or acquired copies 
of the work before the date of enactment of the URAA. Alternatively, 
the owner may file actual notice on a reliance party at any time.
    The URAA also requires the Register of Copyrights to publish lists 
in the Federal Register identifying a restored work and its owner[s] if 
an NIE has been filed by a party who is eligible to file. Thus, 
depending on its receipt of filings by eligible parties the Office may 
continue periodically to publish lists.
    During the first two years, because of the large number of expected 
filings and the special processing they required, the Office 
established a particular mailing address for the filing of NIEs and 
registration of copyright claims in GATT restored works. It also 
created special GATT forms for registration of works and published a 
format for filing NIEs. The initial two year period for filing with the 
Office ended, for the overwhelming majority of countries, on December 
31, 1997. Consequently, the number of filings has decreased 
drastically; therefore, the special address is no longer needed.
    This notice is to inform all interested parties that the current 
mailing addresses for filing NIEs and GATT registrations, URAA/GATT, 
NIEs and Registrations, P.O. Box 72400, Southwest Station, Washington, 
D.C. 20024, USA is no longer effective. The new address for filing NIEs 
is GC/I&R, P.O. Box 70400, Southwest Station, Washington, D.C. 20024. 
The new address for GATT registrations is the same as for all other 
registrations: Library of Congress, Copyright Office, 101 Independence 
Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000.

    Dated: January 15, 1999.
Marilyn Kretsinger,
Assistant General Counsel, Copyright Office.
[FR Doc. 99-1396 Filed 1-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 1410-30-P