Adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty to Improve Access for Blind

Adoption of the Marrakesh Treaty to Improve Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or otherwise Print Disabled

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

June 28, 2013

On June 27 in Marrakesh, the United States was pleased to join more than 150 other countries in adopting a treaty to increase access to print materials for the world's estimated 340 million blind, visually impaired and other persons with print disabilities at a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Diplomatic Conference hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco. The United States considers the agreement reached in Marrakesh to be an important achievement that will help reduce the book famine that confronts the blind -- the lack of accessible formats of books for people with print disabilities -- while maintaining the integrity of the international copyright framework.

Adoption of the treaty is the first step, and the Administration looks forward to working with Congress to secure advice and consent to ratification of the Treaty.

ENDS

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