Written by: Lex Protector|December 19, 2012
“Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)”and other similar organizations approached WIPO to create a mechanism so that the blind and other disable people can get access to the copyrighted reading materials like others. On 21st June 2011, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the European Union and its Member States, Mexico, Norway, Paraguay, the Russian Federation, the United States of America and Uruguay submitted a document named “international instrument on limitations and exceptions for people with print disabilities” in twenty second session of “Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR)”of WIPO in response to the demand of KEI and other organizations.
The proposal was proposed by both the developed and developing nations without major differences. The proposer had admitted the logic behind the demand of KEI and other organizations. They have mentioned that their motive is to provide the full and equal access to the artistic and literary creation to the visually impaired person and other with printing disabilities. They had also pointed out the hurdles behind the implementation of the program. The 22nd session of SCCR took their decision to discuss the proposal in the next session.
The proposal was discussed elaborately in the 23rd. sessionfrom November 21 to December 2, 2011 and 24th. Session from 16th of July to 25, 2012 of “SSCR”, but no fruitful results was not found. However, a draft treaty text was adopted in the WPO General Assembly Session on 17th November 2012. The session decided to discuss the draft treaty in the extraordinary session of WIPO General Assembly which will be held on 17th and 18th December. The extraordinary session of WIPO General Assembly of December 2012 has come out with a positive signal. The delegates of the session discussed the major problems of the issue like limitations and exceptions of copyrights and cross-border exchange of accessible format copies. The session also worked out the duties and obligations of the members and contracting parties.
However, the US wanted to include the word “agreement” instead of “treaty”. Most members opposed to the proposal because the inclusion of word “agreement “instead of “treaty” may downgrade the status of the proposal. The USA and EU informed that they would inform their views in the next session. However, at the end of the meeting, “treaty” prevailed in the final document. WIPO Director General Francis Gurry said that the decision of the meeting
was a historical achievement. It was a positive outcome for delivering the equal rights to the physically impaired person. The session also decided to hold a diplomatic conference in Morocco in June, 2013 to conclude the treaty.
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