The Marrakesh VIP Treaty, which aims to improve access to copyright works for the visually impaired and people with print disabilities worldwide, was adopted at a diplomatic conference on June 27 2013.
As of today more than 75 WIPO member states including the EU have signed the treaty, of which eight have deposited an instrument of ratification or accession.
The treaty will come into force when there are 20 ratifications or accessions.
The treaty requires contracting parties to provide exceptions in their national laws to allow copyright-protected works to be made accessible in formats such as braille, audio and large print, while simultaneously protecting the interests of rights holders.
It also expects contracting parties to cooperate with each other and with NGOs to increase the availability of such formats across borders.
According to a meeting document (8967/15) dated May 19 2015, the Council has now adopted a decision requesting the EU Commission to submit the legislative proposal required for the EU to ratify the treaty.
The document states: “Such a legislative proposal is necessary to ensure compliance of the European legal order with international obligations from the time of the conclusion of the Marrakesh Treaty, and its speedy implementation and application in EU member states. The Council is committed to the rapid entry into force of the Treaty.”
Last year the EU Commission also expressed a desire to see ratification as soon as possible. The endorsement by the Council is a sign that this may well come sooner rather than later.
