Sweden

Copyright

Does your national copyright legislation contain exceptions and other special provisions for people with visual impairment?
Do these exceptions allow for making copy of a book without the publisher's permission?
Do these exceptions allow for scanning books (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to scan a book for him/herself, or does a special organization have to do it?)
Do these exceptions allow for sharing books produced on accessible formats? (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to share with friends books he/she scanned?)
Are there special copyright provisions regarding accessible text books and other educational material?

 

1. Does your national copyright legislation contain exceptions and other special provisions for people with visual impairment?

Article 17 -Reproduction for Visually Handicapped Persons, etc.- of the Swedish Act on Copyright in Literary and Artistic Works N° 729 of 30 December 1960 provides the following:
"Anyone is entitled to make copies printed in braille of published literary and musical works.
The Government may in specific cases grant libraries and organisations a right to make copies of published literary works by means of recording of a recitation of the work or by means of a transfer from another recording, for lending to visually handicapped persons and other disabled persons who are not able to acquaint themselves with the works in written form. Such copying must, however, not take place in respect of works of which recordings have been put on the market."
Source: www.wipo.int/clea/en/text_html.jsp?lang=EN&id=3656

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2. Do these exceptions allow for making copy of a book without the publisher's permission?

The above Act allows for making a copy of a book without the publisher's permission.

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3. Do these exceptions allow for scanning books (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to scan a book for him/herself, or does a special organization have to do it?)

Yes, an individual with visual impairment can scan a book for him/herself.

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4. Do these exceptions allow for sharing books produced on accessible formats? (in particular is an individual with visual impairment allowed to share with friends books he/she scanned?)

The legislation allows to share books produced on accessible formats with other people with visual impairment.

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5. Are there special copyright provisions regarding accessible text books and other educational material?

There are no special provisions regarding educational material or text books.

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