Jerry, again check with authorities, but I can tell you that you're right, pairs of countries do form treaties with regard to material from one country being used in another. The standard adopted is usually that of the country of origin of a particular piece. But, within other countries, the laws vary widely. For example, in the US you cannot deny permission to anyone to perform or record your music, even if you really hate the way they do it (think of Muzak---Now stop thinking of Muzak, you get the idea). In some other countries, such as Ireland and France, the owner of intellectual property, such as a song, has complete control, can deny permission to anyone, so my sensitive folk ballads would not come out in punk or rap versions. I had to write a paper on this very subject lately for a course I was taking; My feeling is that copyright law does not arise out of natural need or long tradition. Other laws, like "don't kill me" or "don't steal my horse", do have those origins. In other words, the intellectual property laws of a given country are either completely arbitrary, or a result of cultural factors (most likely). I guess I find it more attractive for a culture to revere it's artists enough to allow them control of their artistic output. Am I right or wrong; probably a matter of opinion.

Idealistically, Chet W.