EU to ratify treaty for better access to books for blind people
Photo by Karl-Heinz Wellmann
(BRUSSELS) - The EU Council and European Parliament agreed informally Wednesday legislation to make more books available in formats designed for blind and visually impaired people.
The new rules will bring the EU's laws into line with international commitments under the Marrakesh Treaty, which was signed by the EU in 2014.
The European Blind Union estimates that there are upwards of 30 million blind and partially sighted persons in Europe, and the World Blind Union puts the worldwide figure at 285 million. While estimates of the share of published books available in accessible formats for visually impaired persons range from 7% to 20% in the EU, in developing countries it is estimated to be as low as 1%.
The proposals agreed will introduce into EU law a new mandatory exception to copyright rules, in line with the Marrakesh Treaty. This will allow beneficiary persons and organisations to make copies of works in accessible formats, and to disseminate them across the EU and in third countries which are party to the Treaty.
A regulation will implement the Union's obligations under the Marrakesh Treaty with respect to the exchange of accessible format copies for non-commercial purposes between the EU and third countries that are party to the Marrakesh Treaty.
A directive will incorporate the obligations under the Marrakesh Treaty into national domestic legislation. This will ensure an improvement in the availability of accessible format copies for beneficiary persons and their circulation within the internal market.
Specifically, Parliament and Council negotiators agreed on:
- copyright exceptions: blind people and their organisations will no longer need to ask permission from the holder of copyright to make accessible format books and other print material,
- improved cross-border circulation: blind people will have access to more special format books from EU and non-EU countries that have signed the Marrakesh Treaty; in this context, Parliament's negotiators ensured that no commercial availability checks prior to the exchange of accessible format books will be required, and
- optional compensation: member states will have the option of establishing limited compensation schemes for publishers when their books are turned into accessible format copies.
The regulation and the directive now still have to be formally adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. After that, the provisions of the directive will be enacted in each national legislation within a maximum period of 12 months.
Further information, European Parliament