EU disability law and policy and access to art works through 3D printing

This chapter examines European Union (EU) disability law and policy, and considers the scope for the EU to address access to culture for persons with disabilities and the scope for addressing access to art works through three-dimensional (3D) printing. It reflects existing secondary legislation and policy addressing culture and copyright and reflects on the relevance of those measures for 3D printing. The Employment Equality Directive establishes a duty to make a reasonable accommodation for individuals with a disability with regard to employment and vocational training. The Creative Europe Regulation aims to promote European cultural and linguistic diversity and strengthen the competitiveness of European cultural and creative sectors. The chapter concludes that while no explicit reference to using 3D printing to improve access to art for people with visual or other impairments is found in any current EU instrument, promoting such access would be in line with the current EU policy.