Progress in the ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty – E-009538-15

Question for written answer
to the Council
Rule 130
Fernando Maura Barandiarán (ALDE) , Juan Carlos Girauta Vidal (ALDE) , Javier Nart (ALDE) , Enrique Calvet Chambon (ALDE) , Paloma López Bermejo (GUE/NGL) , Isabella Adinolfi (EFDD) , Petras Auštrevičius (ALDE) , Barbara Kappel (ENF) , Izaskun Bilbao Barandica (ALDE) , Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (PPE) , Catherine Stihler (S&D) , Ivo Vajgl (ALDE) , Esteban González Pons (PPE) , Rolandas Paksas (EFDD) , Terry Reintke (Verts/ALE) , Richard Howitt (S&D) , Julia Reda (Verts/ALE) , Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso (PPE) , Michèle Rivasi (Verts/ALE) , José Bové (Verts/ALE) , Yannick Jadot (Verts/ALE) , Pascal Durand (Verts/ALE) , Eva Joly (Verts/ALE) , Karima Delli (Verts/ALE) , Kostas Chrysogonos (GUE/NGL) , Eva Paunova (PPE) , Igor Šoltes (Verts/ALE) , Krystyna Łybacka (S&D) , José Blanco López (S&D) , Marielle de Sarnez (ALDE) , Giorgos Grammatikakis (S&D) , Enrico Gasbarra (S&D) , Jiří Pospíšil (PPE) , Nathalie Griesbeck (ALDE) , Urmas Paet (ALDE) , Tanja Fajon (S&D) , Alfred Sant (S&D) , Milan Zver (PPE) , Santiago Fisas Ayxelà (PPE) , Marietje Schaake (ALDE) , Keith Taylor (Verts/ALE) , Fabio Massimo Castaldo (EFDD) , Mary Honeyball (S&D) , Alessia Maria Mosca (S&D) , Angel Dzhambazki (ECR) , Emil Radev (PPE) , Ivan Jakovčić (ALDE) , Jana Žitňanská (ECR) , Emilian Pavel (S&D) , Ádám Kósa (PPE) , Marek Plura (PPE) , Jean-Marie Cavada (ALDE) , Bogdan Brunon Wenta (PPE) , António Marinho e Pinto (ALDE) , Yana Toom (ALDE) , Ilhan Kyuchyuk (ALDE) , Damiano Zoffoli (S&D) , Dieter-Lebrecht Koch (PPE) , Nicola Caputo (S&D) , Marisa Matias (GUE/NGL) , Mara Bizzotto (ENF) , Marian Harkin (ALDE) , Svetoslav Hristov Malinov (PPE) , Matteo Salvini (ENF) , Luigi Morgano (S&D) , Dita Charanzová (ALDE) , Filiz Hyusmenova (ALDE) , Costas Mavrides (S&D) , Alojz Peterle (PPE) , Carlos Coelho (PPE) , Roberta Metsola (PPE) , Miroslav Mikolášik (PPE) , Luis de Grandes Pascual (PPE) , Theresa Griffin (S&D) , Mircea Diaconu (ALDE) , Marc Joulaud (PPE) , José Inácio Faria (ALDE) , Olga Sehnalová (S&D) , Georgios Epitideios (NI)

Subject: Progress in the ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty
On 20 May 2015 the EU Council adopted a decision asking the Commission to submit a legislative proposal with a view of amending the EU legal framework so that it complies with the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled. The ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty has been blocked by a legal impasse since October 2014. Whilst the EU Council is slow to advance the legislative process, Member States are taking action.

On 22 May 2015 the Spanish Government authorised the treaty adhesion process. Spain is thereby the first country within the European Union to take action towards the ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty, which must be ratified by twenty countries in order to enter into force. So far, only eight other countries have ratified the treaty: Argentina, El Salvador, United Arab Emirates, India, Mali, Paraguay, Singapore and Uruguay.

The EU should stand as an example worldwide when it comes to protecting human rights. In the light of Spain’s move, what concrete actions will the Council take to ensure swift ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty by the EU?