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Emanuel Meyer: Switzerland supports a WIPO treaty for blind persons

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

This is a July 19, 2012 interview with Emmanuel Meyer of the Switzerland delegation at WIPO SCCR 24. Meyer says Switzerland supports a WIPO treaty for persons who are blind or other other disabilities.
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Video Language:
English
Duration:
02:32

English subtitles

Revisions

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