RECOMMENDATION on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled

on the draft Council decision on the conclusion on behalf of the European Union of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled

(12629/2017 – C8‑0375/2017 – 2014/0297(NLE))

(Consent)

The European Parliament,

–  having regard to the draft Council decision (12629/2017),

–  having regard to the Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired, or otherwise print disabled (5905/2015),

–  having regard to the request for consent submitted by the Council in accordance with Article 114 and Article 218(6), second subparagraph, point (a)(v), of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (C8‑0375/2017),

–  having regard to the opinion of the Court of Justice of 14 February 2017[1],

–  having regard to Rule 99(1) and (4), and Rule 108(7) of its Rules of Procedure,

–  having regard to the recommendation of the Committee on Legal Affairs (A8-0400/2017),

1.  Gives its consent to the conclusion of the Marrakesh Treaty;

2.  Instructs its President to forward its position to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

• [1]  Opinion of the Court of Justice of 14 February 2017, 3/15, ECLI:EU:C:2017:114.

The Marrakesh Treaty[1], which was adopted on June 27, 2013, forms part of the body of international copyright treaties administered by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). It has a clear humanitarian and social development dimension and 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.

The Treaty aims at easing access for persons with visual impairments and other print disabilities to works in accessible format, all the while protecting the rightholders. To this end, the Treaty harmonises exceptions to the international copyright system and allows for the cross-border exchange of accessible format copies.

The Committee for Legal Affairs of the European Parliament has successfully finalised the inter-institutional negotiations on the legislative package implementing the Marrakesh Treaty into EU law. Parliament and Council signed the Directive and the Regulation on 13 September 2017[2]. Your rapporteur highly welcomes the decision of the Council to conclude the international Treaty. This is one more crucial step towards the full implementation of this important piece of copyright law.

• [1]  Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled
• [2]  Directive (EU) 2017/1564 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2017 on certain permitted uses of certain works and other subject matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled and amending Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society, OJ L 242 20.09.2017, p. 0006, and Regulation (EU) 2017/1563 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2017 on the cross-border exchange between the Union and third countries of accessible format copies of certain works and other subject matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled, OJ L 242 20.09.2017, p. 0001

Key to symbols:

+  :  in favour

-  :  against

0  :  abstention