17/08/2026
On July 11, 2026, The Bahamas officially deposited its instruments of accession to the WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) and the WIPO Performances & Phonograms Treaty (WPPT). Both treaties are scheduled to enter into force for The Bahamas on October 11, 2026.
Just days later, on July 16, 2026, The Bahamas also deposited its instrument of accession to the Rome Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations, which is scheduled to enter into force on October 16, 2026.
The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) strengthens copyright protection in the digital environment. It covers creative works including computer programs and software, protected as literary works, original databases and compilations, music, literature, visual art and other traditional creative works in digital formats and distribution and rental rights, giving authors greater control over the commercial use of their works.
The WIPO Performances & Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) focuses on the rights of performers and producers of sound recordings, including:
• Singers, musicians, actors, dancers and other performers
• Producers of phonograms, including record labels and other entities responsible for sound recordings
• Economic rights covering activities such as streaming, broadcasting, reproduction and distribution
• Moral rights for performers, including the right to be identified and to object to certain distortions of their performances.
The Rome Convention provides international minimum standards of protection for three key groups:
Performers — receive protection against unauthorized broadcasting, public communication and recording of their live performances.
Producers of phonograms — receive protection over the reproduction of their recorded audio.
Broadcasting organizations — receive protection over the rebroadcasting, recording and public performance of their broadcasts.
As The Bahamas continues to grow its creative and digital economy, strengthening intellectual property protection means strengthening the people behind the ideas, stories, music, technology and art that help define our nation.
