Recently, anti-intellectual property rights activists have misstated the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s position on access to copyrighted materials for the visually impaired and other persons with disabilities.

The Chamber supports increased copyright access for the visually-impaired, including measures currently practiced under U.S. law that have proven effective in providing access, and promoting results-oriented solutions to the needs of blind and visually-impaired persons.

However, the treaty now being proposed would not be compatible with US copyright laws and norms, and would undermine the goal of expanded access that we all share. This overreaching treaty would also harm the rights of authors and other artists, and the incentives necessary for them to create and commercialize their works. We strongly believe improving access for one community should not mean that another loses its rights in the process.

The Chamber stands ready to work on practical ways to support more efficient and expedited access for the visually impaired, in partnership with all stakeholders, to achieve these important outcomes.

// Update: See also comments in response to the request by the U.S. Copyright Office and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office