01/10/2018 (Agence Europe) – The European Union finally ratified the Marrakesh Treaty on 1 October. This treaty contains the possibility of reproducing or distributing, without the authorisation of the rights holder, examples of published works in a format that is accessible to the blind, visually impaired and people having other difficulties reading printed texts (see EUROPE 11942). This ratification took place at the same time as that of Japan during the General Assembly of the World International Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. This development was widely praised by the European Blind Union (EBU). Wolfgang Angermann, the EBU’s President, stated “It is a major step toward ending the book famine for the millions of people in the world – 30 million in Europe alone – who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled”. So far, the treaty covers 43 countries throughout the world. (SPj)