So many of the Print Disability Exception instrument and/or treaty proposals in past SCCR sessions and for the

upcoming SCCR 23 meeting later this NOV 2011 are predicated on the US Copyright Law Section 121 Chafee Amendment. Mr. Jim Fruchterman of Benetech / Bookshare.org said in his WIPO SCCR 22 remarks regarding 18/5 WBU/Brazil Treaty for access for people with Disabilities (15JUN2011): This is why we are in strong support of the World Blind Unions advocacy and many nations support for a global treaty to help people with print disabilities. We would like to see a global norm comparable to the system that has worked so well in the U.S. extended to help all people with print disabilities in the world who need it. Thank you! http://benetech.blogspot.com/2011_06_01_archive.html Mr. Fruchterman also wrote on his Beneblog: One key point: (The Chafee Amendment has) been the law of the land in the U.S. for more than 15 years, and its worked great! If its good enough for the U.S., as one of the leading lights in both intellectual property regulation and inclusion of people with people with disabilities, it should be good enough for the rest of the world! http://benetech.blogspot.com/2011/07/breakthrough-on-global-accessat-wipo.html I responded with the comment: No matter how deserving the rest of the world is for enhanced reading rights, it is a specious argument to suggest that Legislation and Administrative Procedures that work well in the USA will de facto work well in ANY country in the world. (Your comment has been saved and will be visible after blog owner approval.)

 but I guess the comment did not warrant the blog owners approval. Dr. Manon Ress of KEI wrote (in response to the UK consultation request: In addition, the supposed potential risks for publishers, for example that people without disabilities will use of accessible formats, is as of yet unproven if not totally unrealistic. Publishers and right holders have not provided any evidence of infringement in jurisdictions where there is no need for permission from right owners, and where digital accessible formats are available behind a firewall for specific beneficiaries http://www.keionline.org/node/1249 I most certainly do not know what will happen in the next few weeks or at WIPO SCCR 23 indeed I was advised by Mr. Jamie Love of KEI on Twitter: Glad you are such a confident expert on treaty negotiations. People who actually do them are not as confident. @jamie_love 28 SEP Rather than an analysis of why the Chafee Amendment may not be readily replicated world-wide, I will accordingly just sum this up by the following visual reminder of what may work in the WIPO B group countries versus what may be more the norm in the less legally rigorous venues:

Or this: