[A2k] Fwd: TACD letter to the European Commission to support the WBU WIPO Treaty proposal

[Anne-Catherine Lorrain]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
The European Commission has replied to the TACD letter of support to the WB=
U
WIPO Treaty proposal (
http://www.tacd-ip.org/blog/2009/05/22/tacd-asks-the-european-commission-to=
-support-the-world-blind-union-wipo-treaty-proposal).


McCreevy's Cabinet sent us their reply yesterday (see below).

It=92s interesting to note their confirmation about the forthcoming release=
 of
a Communication following the Green paper on copyright in the knowledge
economy.

They also mention the launch of a new platform involving the European Blind
Union and publishers, but it=92s still not very clear how it could compleme=
nt
the working groups / stakeholders platforms on accessible formats already
existing at the Commission level.

The WBU WIPO treaty proposal is supposed to be discussed by the European
Council (Member States) in the forthcoming months.

-------

Anne-Catherine Lorrain
Intellectual Property Policy Project
The TransAtlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD)
80, rue d'Arlon, B-1040 Bruxelles
aclorrain@gmail.com
aclorrain@consint.org
Mob (Belgium): +32 473 99 97 92
Tel: +32 2 740 28 17, Fax: +32 2 740 28 02
www.tacd.org
www.tacd-ip.org/blog


 ------------------------------

*From:* Rhona.FORD@ec.europa.eu [mailto:Rhona.FORD@ec.europa.eu]
*Sent:* Tuesday, June 23, 2009 4:35 PM
*To:* Anne-Catherine Lorrain
*Cc:* Rhona.FORD@ec.europa.eu
*Subject:* TACD letter to the European Commission to support the WBU WIPO
Treaty proposal



Our ref: D/1055

Dear Ms Lorrain,

Thank you for your email of 18 May addressed to Commissioner McCreevy. He
has asked me to respond to you on his behalf.

The Commission has taken note of the TACD resolutions on the WIPO
negotiations on Copyright limitations and exceptions, with special referenc=
e
to the needs of the visually impaired persons and access to orphan works. A=
s
you are aware, the Commission services dealing with copyright have already
launched an ambitious consultation exercise on exceptions and limitations
(the Green Paper on the Knowledge Economy) and are preparing a Communicatio=
n
which will be published by the autumn. Moreover, there will be a series of
workshops after the summer break in which the issues of exceptions and
limitations and orphan works will be explored further. I encourage you to
participate in these hearings.

The copyright unit met at length with representatives of the European Blind
Union on 12 May 2009. At this meeting the Commission informed the EBU that
it was in the process of launching a stakeholder platform at EU level where
representatives of the EBU and the publishing industry will be able to
debate issues of accessible formats and free trade in products that are
produced for the blind and visually impaired. The aim of this initiative is
that more works are published in accessible formats and that such works
published in one country can be exported without obstacles to another
country within the EU.

The European Commission is also engaged with the World Blind Union at the
international level. The treaty proposal for the visually impaired submitte=
d
by Brazil, Ecuador and Nicaragua at the WIPO Standing Committee on Copyrigh=
t
and Related Rights, which took place from 25 to 29 May, will be discussed
with the EU Member States in forthcoming Council Working Groups.

Yours sincerely,

*Mary Kerrigan*

Member of Cabinet
Office of Commissioner Charlie McCreevy

Mail: European Commission =96 Office BERL 9/143 - B-1049 Brussels
Office: Berlaymont Building - rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 200 - B-1040 Brussels

Tel : +32-(0)2-292.06.81 =96 Fax : +32-(0)2-298.86.13
E-mail :* **mary.kerrigan@ec.europa.eu*