The New Provisions on Access to Protected Works for Visually Impaired Persons – One Small Step for Copyright, One Giant Leap for People with Disabilities

Abstract

Due to different types of physical, intellectual or mental impairment, every sixth person in the European Union encounters obstacles related to full participation in social, cultural, artistic and economic life. Although the EU has taken several legal steps to counteract discrimination and strive for equal opportunities, disabled persons still have limited access to cultural goods such as printed material for example. However, this may soon change due to the adoption at international level of the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled and, within the EU, the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2017/1563 and Directive 2017/1564. The aim of this article is to assess these legal acts within the context of their impact on ensuring equal treatment in access to works protected by copyright for people with disabilities.