Israel publishes bill on disability-related exceptions

From Tamir Afori (a partner in the Tel-Aviv law firm of Gilat, Bareket & Co.) comes news that the Israeli Ministry of Justice has now published a bill in which it is proposed to add an exception to the Copyright Act (as well as an exception to the Performers and Broadcasters Rights Act).  The proposed exception follows the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled [full text here, Agreed Statement on its interpretation here], but it covers all sorts of disabilities, not only sight. (thus it may apply to, for example, hearing disabilities).

The bill also relates to the exporting of "adapted copy" for the benefit of people with disabilities outside of Israel. Here is a link to the Hebrew version (no English translation is yet available).

This blogger notes that Israel has acted surprisingly swiftly to legislate a Marrakesh-type exception when that country is not yet a signatory to that Treaty (which is not yet in force).