India signs treaty to facilitate published works for blind

Geneva: India has signed the "Marrakesh Treaty" to facilitate access to published works for blind, visually impaired or print disabled persons.

The treaty was signed on Wednesday at a ceremony organised by World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) during the 27th session of Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR).

Veena Ish, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development of India, 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 June 23, 2013, a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.

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), the statement said.

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 organisations that serve those beneficiaries.

A total of 51 countries signed the Treaty as of the close of the diplomatic conference in Marrakesh last year.

India's ratification of this treaty will facilitate importation of accessible format copies from the member states by the Indian authorised 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 statement said.

India would soon be ratifying the Treaty, which will enter into force after the deposit of 20 instruments of ratification or accession by eligible.