[A2k] FT piece on proposed WIPO Treaty for Print Disabled Persons

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/47b274bc-eb27-11de-bc99-00144feab49a.html

Global pact on Braille books nears

By Frances Williams in Geneva

Published: December 17 2009 18:34 | Last updated: December 17 2009 18:34

An international accord that would vastly expand the range of books
and other copyright materials accessible to millions of blind people
around the world came a step closer this week after a surprise shift
in approach by Washington.

Organisations representing blind and visually impaired people have
been pressing for years for a global pact that would allow books
produced in Braille and other special formats, including digitised
audio texts, to be shared across national borders.

But up to now the US and other industrialised countries have heeded
strong opposition by the mainstream publishing industry. It fears a
cross-border accord would set a bad precedent by weakening rather than
strengthening copyright protection as previous treaties have done.

However, speaking at a meeting on the issue at the UN=92s World
Intellectual Property Organisation in Geneva, Justin Hughes, head of
the US delegation, dismissed these fears and called for Wipo
discussions that could eventually lead to a formal treaty.

The first goal should be =93to reach international consensus on the free
exportation and importation of special format materials for persons
with print disabilities in all countries,=94 Mr Hughes said.

The US was =93committed to policies that ensure everyone has a chance to
get the information and education they need and to live independently
as full citizens in their communities=94.

Blind organisations and campaign groups supporting them hailed the US
statement and expressed the hope that other industrialised countries
would follow Washington=92s lead.

Brazil, Ecuador and Paraguay have already put forward a draft treaty
proposed by the World Blind Union as a basis for discussion. A
decision by Wipo=92s 184 members on how to proceed is expected on Friday.

Nearly 60 countries have =93exceptions and limitations=94 clauses written
into their copyright laws that make special provision for the blind.
But national laws do not permit books and other materials produced
under these exceptions to be sent abroad.

Instead, each country is required to produce its own materials for the
blind, a costly endeavour that severely limits access to written works
of all kinds. Christopher Friend of Sightsavers International says of
all the books published in the world less than 5 per cent are
available in formats accessible to the blind and visually impaired, 90
per cent of whom live in developing countries.

Pablo Lecuona, who runs an Argentina-based digital library project for
blind Spanish speakers, says Spain has some 100,000 accessible books
and Argentina another 50,000 while Spanish-speaking Panama and
Nicaragua have no more than 200 titles between them. Sharing with
Madrid would increase accessible titles 1,000-fold, he points out.

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Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
thiru@keionline.org


Tel: +41 22 791 6727
Mobile: +41 76 508 0997