Final answer:
Intellectual property laws significantly differ between common-law and code-law legal systems, with efforts underway to harmonize these laws internationally. International law, defined by principles like state sovereignty, shapes these efforts through treaties and agreements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The laws governing intellectual property offer the most striking differences between common-law and code-law systems. Intellectual property implies ownership over an idea, concept, or image, rather than a physical item. The provisions and enforcement of laws protecting intellectual property, such as patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secret laws, significantly vary between countries that follow common law and those that adhere to code (civil) law systems. These variations are evident in the duration of protection, enforcement mechanisms, and the overall approach to intellectual property rights. Efforts such as those by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and international treaties aim to harmonize these laws internationally.
International law, which rests on the principle of state sovereignty, consists of a set of formal and informal rules governing the international system, but it is distinct from domestic laws that pertain to international relations. International agreements and treaties are primary sources of international law, and they play a critical role in establishing the rules that sovereign states must follow, including those related to intellectual property.