[Interviewer, off] OK, I'm at WIPO, on July 19th,
where we're talking about copyright limitations and exceptions.
One of the issues here is for blind people.
I'm here with a member of the Switzerland delegation.
I was wondering if you could tell people who you are
and what you do for the Switzerland government,
and how things are going on this negotiation
and what really is the position of the Switzerland government.
[Emanuel Meyer] OK, my name is Emanuel Meyer
and I work as head legal copyright and neighboring rights in Switzerland.
We're representing Switzerland here at WIPO, the World International Property Organization.
With regard to an instrument for the blind, it's a clear position for Switzerland that
all barriers for access for people with reading disabilities, people with handicaps,
should be removed: we have that in our Constitution.
So it's no question for us that we will do anything
to improve the situation for people with disabilities worldwide.
[Interviewer] So it's really a - I think it's a surprise to other people
that Switzerland will be supporting this treaty on exceptions.
Er - not, no, I shouldn't say everybody - what I mean, some people here
[Meyer] Right.
[Interviewer] Some people here, I think, didn't even really appreciate
how supportive the Switzerland government was of this initiative.
Again, it's a good surprise, don't get me wrong.
[Meyer] Well, thank you. I like to think of Switzerland as a country
that not only has banks, but also a humanitarian tradition.
And this, in my opinion, lies within this humanitarian tradition that Switzerland is proud of.
[Interviewer] What is your opinion about the difference between doing this as a treaty
or some kind of a softer recommendation
that doesn't obligate people to make changes in the laws?
[Meyer] Well, quite frankly, I don't really understand
why some people are not comfortable with a treaty.
But this might be due to cultural differences or internal things.
I have not really an idea.
We would be ready for a treaty, in any case.
[Interviewer] You know, thank you very much,
and is there anything you'd like to add before I finish the interview?
[Meyer] No, thank you, not at the moment.
[Interviewer] Thank you very much.