[A2k] Copyright E & L Joint Position by the Creators, Performers and Creative Industries

[Chris Friend]

FYI

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Friend
Sent: 07 November 2008 11:04
To: 'tarja@olsson-koskinen.com'
Cc: jukka.liedes@minedu.fi; Michael Keplinger; 'Jens Bammel'; tvi; CLM
Listserv (ifla-clm@infoserv.inist.fr)
Subject:

To Hon President, IFRRO

Dear Tarja Koskinen-olsson,

On Wednesday 5th November a paper signed by 26 NGOs, each an international
representative of the Creators, Performers or Creative Industries,   was
placed  outside the WIPO SCCR Meeting Hall for the attention of Delegates
stating in its first paragraph:-

"Existing flexibilities are not only adequate but preferable. There is no
need for new international binding norms restricting the freedom to develop
locally adapted Exceptions & Limitations"

Amongst the signatories was IFRRO who concurrently seek to promote the
concept of a WIPO Stakeholder Platform to resolve the problems of
accessibility to works for visually  impaired and other print impaired
readers.  Its proposal states that IFRRO and the blind and visually impaired
share a common objective of enhancing access to the knowledge and
information,   and includes the wording:-

This should push for pragmatic and proactive solutions within the existing
legal framework, and really improve the access whilst at the same time,
enhancing transparency."

Is it therefore realistic to accept IFRRO's assurance of  an open  and
wholehearted approach to finding  solutions to the current position where
only less than 5% of all works published are available in accessible formats
such as braille, large print and audio?

Furthermore the few that are accessible are mostly produced by and at the
expense of the voluntary sector who are currently having to use Exceptions
rather than licences.

Therefore the World Blind Union and its partners, who this week provided
WIPO SCCR Delegates with a proposed Treaty instrument aimed at providing a
uniform mandatory minimum standard of Exceptions for the Visually Impaired
and other print impaired readers to enable them to access more works through
the import and export of accessible formats being produced, request IFRRO to
either publicly withdraw  its signature of the paper referred to above, or
to publicly explain how it will manage its conflict of interests in this
matter during  the work of such a Stakeholder Platform.

Christopher Friend
Chair WBU Copyright and Right to Read Working Group