India signs Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled at WIPO
At a signing ceremony organized by WIPO during the 27th session of Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) on 30 April 2014, the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development of India, Smt. Veena Ish signed the “Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled (MVT)”, which was adopted on 23 June 2013.
The main goal of Marrakesh Treaty is to create a set of mandatory limitations and exceptions for the benefit of the blind, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled (VIPs). It requires Contracting Parties to introduce a standard set of limitations and exceptions to copyright rules in order to permit reproduction, distribution and making available of published works in formats designed to be accessible to VIPs and to permit exchange of these works across borders by organizations that serve those beneficiaries.
India’s ratification of this Treaty will facilitate importation of accessible format copies from the member states by the Indian authorized entities such as educational institutions, libraries and other such institutions working for the benefit of visually impaired persons. This will also facilitate translation of imported accessible format copies and export of accessible format copies in Indian languages. The Indian Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 is in harmony with the Marrakesh Treaty. India would soon be ratifying the Treaty, which will enter into force after the deposit of 20 instruments of ratification or accession by eligible parties.
(April 30, 2014, Geneva)
Text of Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled
