India became the first Country to Ratify the Marrakesh Treaty

India on 30 June 2014 became the first country to ratify the Marrakesh Treaty to facilitate access to published works for persons who are blind and visually impaired

Dilip Sinha, the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, handed over the Instrument of Ratification to Francis Gurry, Director General, WIPO. The instrument was handed over at a ceremony held during the 28th Session of SCCR (Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights) in WIPO Headquarters.

Marrakesh Treaty and its goal
The Marrakesh Treaty formally is the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities, and was signed in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 28 June 2013.

The Marrakesh Treaty has been created to set mandatory limitations and exceptions for the benefit of blink, visually impaired and otherwise print disabled (VIPs). The Treaty has been signed by 64 countries but has been ratified just by India.

The Marrakesh treaty will come into force once it is ratified by 20 countries.

According to the Treaty the contracting parties need to adopt national law provisions that permit reproduction, distribution and making available of published works in accessible formats, like Braille to VIPs. It also permits exchange of these works across the borders by organisations that serve those beneficiaries.

Benefits of Marrakesh Treaty
Marrakesh Treaty after being into force will facilitate
• Access to published works for millions of blind, visually impaired and other print disabled persons in India
• It will establish equal rights and opportunities for education and employment for them
• It will also facilitate import of accessible format copies from the member states by the Indian authorized entities like as educational institutions, libraries and other such institutions working for benefits of visually paired people
• It will facilitate translation of imported accessible format copies and export of accessible format copies in Indian languages

The Indian Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 is in harmony with the Marrakesh Treaty.

Marrakesh Treaty is also associated with the establishment of  the World Trade Organization in 1994.