Implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty in EU law

The Directive and Regulation for the implementation of the Marrakesh Treaty in EU law were published in the Official Journal on 20 September 2017. The deadline for Member States to transpose the Directive into national law ended on 11 October 2018. The Regulation entered into application on the 12 October 2018.

The Directive

The Directive on certain permitted uses of certain works (.pdf) and other subject matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled establishes a mandatory exception to copyright and related rights.

All language version of the Directive are available in EUR-Lex.

The Regulation

The Regulation provides for a copyright exception (.pdf) that permits the cross-border exchange of accessible format copies of certain works and subject matter that are ordinarily protected by copyright and related rights. This is for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled. The Regulation will permit the cross-border exchange of copies made under the exception between the EU and third countries that are parties to the Treaty.

All language versions of the Regulation are available in EUR-Lex.

Lists of authorised entities in Member States

Under Article 6 of Directive (EU) 2017/1564 the Member States have an obligation to provide the Commission with the contact information they have received from authorised entities within the legal framework of Directive (EU) 2017/1564 on certain permitted uses of certain works and other subject matter protected by copyright and related rights for the benefit of persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled.

The term ‘authorised entity’ in the context of this legal instrument means an entity that is authorised or recognised by a Member State to provide education, instructional training, adaptive reading or information access to beneficiary persons on a non-profit basis. It also includes a public institution or non-profit organisation that provides the same services to beneficiary persons as one of its primary activities, institutional obligations or as part of its public-interest missions.

Download the table of authorised entities (.pdf)

This information will be regularly updated with further information received from Member States.