OVERVIEW

Digital technologies have changed the world offering new ways to create and disseminate information, to research and to learn. Libraries have new opportunities to serve readers and communities in creative and innovative ways. But outdated copyright laws prevent people from benefiting.

While copyright laws in some countries are being modernized, in many developing and transition economy countries, the rules for accessing and using content are often restrictive, especially for digital formats. Overly restrictive copyright laws create legal barriers to using materials for education, research and socio-economic development.

User rights in copyright laws (also known as limitations and exceptions) must evolve so that libraries everywhere can support online education, open science practices and the use of digital research tools. And because world-class science and research is international and collaborative, our information infrastructure must be underpinned by an interoperable copyright framework with clear rules on cross-border uses of information.

the need for international action

National copyright laws are governed by international treaties and agreements. For this reason, we need an updated international copyright framework that is fair and progressive, creates consistency for libraries whereever they are in the world, and supports cross-border research and information sharing.

EIFL advocates at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), an intergovernmental organization that sets global copyright rules, for an international framework that supports library activities and services. WIPO alone has the mandate to set global standards, and only WIPO can address cross-border issues.

The topic of limitations and exceptions (L&Es) has been on the agenda at WIPO's Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) since 2004, see here for a timeline. A key achievement of the L&E agenda item was the adoption in 2013 of the Marrakesh Treaty for persons with print disabilities. The Marrakesh Treaty requires ratifying countries to have exceptions in domestic copyright law for the making and distribution of accessible format copies, and the sending of accessible copies across borders. It is an example of how WIPO action can create targeted exceptions that are effective and that work across borders. And as WIPO's most popular treaty to date, Marrakesh shows how the copyright system can be made to work for people and the institutions that serve them. 

SCCR continues to discuss L&Es for libraries and archives, education and research institutions, and for persons with other disabilities (other than print disabilities).