Marrakesh Treaty Reaches Milestone of 100 Countries, 15 More Countries Joined the Treaty During 2020

In October 2020, the Marrakesh Treaty for persons with print disabilities reached the milestone of 100 countries, making a grand total of 102 WIPO member states by the end of the year. Fifteen more countries joined the treaty in 2020, including five EIFL partner countries – Serbia, Tanzania, Belarus, Côte d’Ivoire and Ethiopia. 

The treaty, that entered into force in 2016 with 20 member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is WIPO’s fastest moving and most successful treaty of recent times. The Marrakesh Treaty improves access to knowledge for print-disabled people by giving organizations like libraries the right to reproduce printed works in accessible formats such as braille, audio, large print and digital formats, and to exchange these works across national borders. 

The steady pace of ratifications year-on-year reflects the continued commitment around the world by governments, libraries, and blind people’s organizations to end the book famine, the fact that only about 7% of published works are made available globally in accessible formats.

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In 2020, the ability to access information became a critical matter of personal health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey by the World Blind Union (WBU) showed that access to accessible materials was significantly limited during COVID restrictions, in part due to inadequate copyright exceptions. The ability to access materials such as public health guidelines on keeping safe, educational materials needed for home-schooling, and finding solace in leisure reading during lockdown were all impacted by copyright. The pandemic has shown that Marrakesh is needed more than ever. WBU recommends using the survey findings to spur advocacy efforts for ratification and domestic implementation, and increased production of books and other copyrighted works in accessible formats.

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