The first and most basic problem is that copyright is a legal right created by statute in each separate jurisdiction. So French copyrights exists under their new (ish) intelectual property code. It used to be their law of the 11th March 1957 as amended. It applies to things done in the jurisdiction of the French courts, and the French courts enforce it. US law differs from many others in a number of respects. English copyright is very like Irish and many other commonwealth countries. Australian is a hybrid with feaatures of both English and US. Etc.International conventions (Berne and UCC are the best known) oblige goverments to make their copyright laws meet certain standards (if they adhere to the conventions) but some do so more grudgingly than others (check out the US Berne Convention Implementation Act if you want to see really grudging!).
In Europe we all have to put up with EEC directives made in Brussels, and if you think you know what a Brussel Sprout is, wait till that lot get at it.
So the first question, if you want an answer, is where do you want to do the things you want to do?