30.04.2014

The European Union signed today in Geneva the Marrakesh Treaty. The Treaty will facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled. It had been negotiated in the framework of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Negotiations concluded on 28 June 2013 in Marrakesh. Since then fifty-one states have signed the Treaty, including four EU Member States.

Today, the Hellenic Presidency of the Council of the European Union, represented by the Ambassador of Greece to the UN in Geneva, Alexandros Alexandris, signed the Treaty on behalf of the European Union, in the presence of WIPO Director General Francis Gurry, the Head of the EU Delegation to the UN in Geneva, Mariangela Zappia, the Executive Director of the European Blind Union Mokrane Boussaid and the Secretary General of the International Publishers Association Jens Bammel. The Treaty was also signed by France, Greece and India during the same event.  

Source: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/un_geneva/press_corner/all_news/news/2014/20140430_mt_en.htm