European Parliament
Sergio Paolo Francesco Silvestris  (PPE ),
in writing.
(IT)
The motion for a resolution voted on today stems from a petition submitted by a European citizen – in this case, a British national – who was the first to call for greater guarantees for the access of blind people to books and other printed products. The World Blind Union and the European Blind Union have already proposed an internationally binding treaty within the World Intellectual Property Organisation, which provides for a targeted exception with regard to copyright.
Considering blind or visually impaired people in the European Union have severely restricted access to books and other printed products – some 95% of all published works are never converted to ‘accessible formats’ – the time has come to speed up our efforts to guarantee that visually impaired people have access to Europe’s entire cultural offering.

