The Chairs of the Intellectual Property Committee of the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue have written to members of the European Parliament and Member States permanent representations to the EU calling for a swift adoption of the European Commission’s proposal to implement the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Visually Impaired.

The Commission’s proposal to implement the Treaty into EU and national legislation, published in September last year, explicitly prohibits Member States from introducing additional requirements for the exercise of copyright exceptions, including compensation schemes.

TACD members are asking the European legislator to uphold the right to access culture and knowledge for visually impaired persons and reject any attempts to allow the payment of a compensation to publishers for the adaptation of the works.

Additionally, TACD members also ask to clarify that the use of Technical Protection Measures restricting uses of the works cannot hinder the exercise of the Marrakesh Treaty exceptions.

Read the full letter here.