1. St. Petersburg State Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Russia and the Marrakesh Treaty The Marrakesh Treaty in Action: Implementing the Treaty and More Ideas for Accessible Digital Reading International Seminar for Libraries March 12, 2019, Helsinki Central Library Oodi
Sania Battalova
St. Petersburg State Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired

2. Facts and Figures Blind and visually impaired people in Russia
According to Ministry of Labor and Social Development there are about 240,000 blind and visually impaired people (It does not take into account other cases of diseases or injuries, accompanied by partial or complete loss of vision) (
Russia Blind Union (Russian Society of the Blind) – has more than 209,000 members, 767 local organizations and almost 9,000 groups (as of November 1, 2016) centralnogo-pravleniya-vserossiyskogo-obschestva-slepyh-o-rabote-za-period-s- noyabrya-2011-goda-po-noyabr-2016-goda
In Saint-Petersburg: Visually impaired – 8,856 people (1.5% of the total number of people with disabilities; children – 367) (Information of St- Petersburg Government as of November 1, 2018) (

3. Facts and Figures: Special Libraries (Libraries for the Blind) in Russia
Russian State Library for the Blind ( – more than one million (1,193,644) copies of books in different special formats (Braille, audio (cassette, CDs, flash, tactile, relief graphic), electronic databases.
Saint-Petersburg State Library for the Blind ( – 302,236 copies of special format books.
71 regional libraries for the blind ( – consolidated book collection about 4,900,000 copies in special formats

4. Facts and Figures: Accessible Format Materials
Number of printed materials published annually in accessible formats (Braille, mp3): about 2.5% of the total published printed production (as in 2016)
Special format (with technological protection) – about 20,000 book titles available from about 170,000 titles of books in digital format produced by publishers in (
Special format requires special equipment.

5. Policy And Legislative Environment 1/4 Importance of Changes: Access to Knowledge
In 2012, Russia ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and for the last 6 years Russia has carried out a comprehensive revision of legislation affecting the rights of persons with disabilities.
Disabled People: No Barrier Environment: Some Important Decisions and Indicators For 6 Years (as of April 11, 2018). - Website of the Government of Russia (
As a result, more people with disabilities are becoming college students: 50,736 in 2017 (to compare: in 2016 – 48,909).
The number of persons with disabilities enrolled in higher education institutions is increasing: in 2017 – 6,926 people (6,132 people in 2016).
Access to study materials, textbooks, etc. in accessible formats is critical to support the policy.

6. (https://rosmintrud.ru/social/invalid-defence/404)
Policy And Legislative Environment 2/4: State Program “Accessible Environment”
Russian Federation State Program “Accessible Environment” (prolonged till 2025):
adaptation of the most important facilities for people with disabilities and limited mobility. Priority areas: health, social protection, sports and physical education, information and communication, culture, transport infrastructure, education. (

7. Government Decree No. 32 of January 23, 2016
Policy And Legislative Environment 3/4 Legislation about libraries where blind and visually impaired people can access special format books
Government Decree No. 32 of January 23, 2016
About approving the list of formats intended exclusively for use by the blind and visually impaired (relief-dot font and other special methods), the list of libraries that provide the blind and visually impaired access to copies of works created in formats intended exclusively for use for the blind and visually impaired (point system and other special methods) through information - telecommunication network, as well as the rules for libraries about providing access for the blind and visually impaired to copies of works created in formats intended exclusively for use by blind and visually impaired (relief-dot font and other special methods) through information - telecommunication network).
Special libraries for the blind and visually impaired
Public libraries with special divisions to serve the blind and visually impaired
Libraries of educational organizations in which blind and visually impaired students study

8. Policy and Legislative Environment 4/4 State program and Marrakesh implementation
At the end of 2018, the Government adopted an Action Plan to implement the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Responsible ministry – Ministry of Labor and Social Development.
In accordance with the Plan, by the 3rd quarter of 2019, draft proposals should be developed to amend the national Copyright legislation in order to implement the provisions of the Marrakesh Treaty.
Responsible organization for changing in copyright legislation - Ministry of Culture.

9. Marrakesh Accession in Russia: Process Completed 1/2
The Federal Law N 369-FZ about Accession of Russian Federation to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled:
Adopted by the State Duma on November 24, 2017.
Approved by the Federation Council on November 29, 2017.
Signed by the President in December 5, 2017.

10. Marrakesh accession in Russia: Process Completed 2/2

11. Marrakesh implementation in Russia: in process Current Copyright Legislation
Exception for special (accessible) format copies for the print disabled:
Civil Code of the Russian Federation (Part Four) of December 18, 2006 (as amended on ) Art Free use of the work for informational, scientific, educational or cultural purposes.
Item (2) – The creation of copies of lawfully promulgated works in the formats exclusively intended for blind and starblind people (using the point system or other special methods) (in special formats), as well as reproduction and promulgation of such copies without profit-making.
Regulations implementing the exception: Government Decree No. 32 of January 23, 2016.
Circumvention of TPMs: Civil Code of the Russian Federation (Part Four) : Technological protection measures of Copyright, art (4)

12. Marrakesh implementation in Russia: in process Copyright: Special format
Special format: Government Decree No. 32 of January 23, 2016 defines the following list of formats:
Braille, in print format.
Braille, in digital format.
"Talking" books (magnetic 4-track cassettes): special audio recording format that provides technical and (or) software protection of works against unauthorized listening.
"Talking" books (digital crypto-protected audio format for listening using special equipment - flash player): electronic audio books, files of which are created using special software with technological protection (3-way block encryption of MP3).
Relief graphics: maps, diagrams, drawings, point system, dashed and dash-dotted lines.

13. Marrakesh implementation in Russia: in process Library Advocacy
October 2017: Joint address to the Ministry of Culture to include the libraries representatives into the working group on Marrakesh Treaty (Saint-Petersburg State Library for Blind and Russian State Library for Blind).
November 21, 2017: Round table with the Parliament Deputy Zhurova S.: “Marrakesh Treaty in contemporary world and importance of the Treaty for Library services”.
Recommendations for copyright amendments proposed (with support from EIFL).

14. Copyright changes proposed by libraries
Expand the category of persons covered by Article 1274 as it is presented in Marrakesh Treaty (beneficiary).
Expand
Expand the list of accessible formats.
Explicitly indicate exchange of accessible format copies (including transborder exchange)
Indicate

15. Libraries in Action Conferences and Events
Moscow, September , 2017, WIPO Regional Workshop: “Copyright and Related Rights: Marrakesh and Beijing Treaties. Topic 5: The Role of Authorized Entities. Library perspectives on implementation”.
St. Petersburg, November 7-8, 2017, conference “Educational and methodological support for people with visual impairment in higher education: the search for common solutions”: Marrakesh Treaty impact on the activities of libraries in serving people with print disabilities
St. Petersburg, October 18, 2018, Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society on Human Rights: Legal aspects of Libraries services.
Moscow, October 25, 2018, 12-th annual conference of the Russian Association of Electronic Libraries: “Copyright and access to information for persons with disabilities: Marrakesh Treaty Implementation in Russia”.

16. Libraries in Russia look forward to “Getting Started” on the Marrakesh Treaty
Coordination of policy and participation in working groups.
Consultation, methodology support for public, special and academic libraries in Russia and CIS countries.
Sharing information about sources available for people with visual impairments.
Cross-border cooperation and sharing resources with other Marrakesh countries.

17. Russia: Libraries “Getting Started” (continued)
St-Petersburg State Library for Blind:
Сross-border exchange of Accessible Format Copies and Metadata among Authorized Entities participating in the ABC Global Book Service:
Local Corporate catalogue resources of copies in accessible formats:

18. Libraries and Marrakesh Resources in Russian
The World Blind Union Guide to the Marrakesh Treaty (Russian) (2017) priorities/Pages/WBU-Guide-to-the-Marrakesh-Treaty.aspx
The Marrakesh Treaty: an EIFL Guide for Libraries (Russian) (2015)
Getting Started. Implementing the Marrakesh Treaty for persons with print disabilities. A practical guide for librarians (Russian) (2018) ru.pdf
Article in professional press: “Marrakesh Treaty as one of the mechanisms to ensure the balance of users and authors rights” (Russia State University of Justice, 2018).

19. Make the Treaty a success!
What is next?
Accelerate the Marrakesh implementation process: working group in Ministry of Culture
Consolidation of efforts: librarians, visually impaired people, NGOs, state representatives
Advocacy and information support
Sharing resources available
Make the Treaty a success!

20. Thank you
For further information, please contact: Sania Battalova: