As previously reported, the Marrakesh Treaty was adopted on June 27, 2013. It forms part of the body of international copyright treaties administered by WIPO. Its main goal is to create a set of mandatory limitations and exceptions for the benefit of the blind, visually impaired, and otherwise print disabled (VIPs).
To date the required 20 countries have signed up to the Treaty with two further due with effect from December this year (St Vincent and the Grenadines and Tunisia). As a result, the Marrakesh Treaty will enter into force on 30th September 2016 for the WIPO Member States who have ratified the it. However, to date neither the European Union or any of its Member States has ratified the Treaty.
Last week the European Union published draft legislation on copyright reforms. As part of these reforms, the International Authors Forum is pleased to note the Commission also published legislative proposals for the European Union to implement the Treaty. To achieve it they have presented two proposals by way of a Directive (giving a mandatory exception) and a Regulation allowing for cross-border exchange of copies between the EU and other countries party to the Treaty.