EBU claims "European Accessibility Act: European Commission breaks promises"
Back in 2011, the European Commission promised it would propose an EU Accessibility Act in 2012. Since then, month after month, year after year, we have heard promises that the publication was ‘imminent' but unfortunately, this has not happened.
At the beginning of December 2014, during the European Day of Persons with Disabilities' event - which the European Commission co-hosted in Brussels - an official promised, again, that the Act would be published ‘soon'. However, two weeks later the European Commission published its 2015 work programme, where there is no mention of the European Accessibility Act - we would like to know why.
We are not alone. Over the last two years, several Members of the European Parliament have asked the European Commission repeated questions about the Act. In September 2013, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut MEP raised the issue http://bit.ly/1E86z5U (External link) . In her response, Commissioner Reding made reference to a planned ‘high level meeting' with ‘a number of CEOs of European companies' and explained that conclusions of this meeting would ‘complement the preparatory work of the Commission services' and ‘allow the identification of the most appropriate measures for improving the accessibility of goods and services in the European Union'. The Commission went on to say that its objective was ‘to present a proposal for binding measures that would combine both, improvement of accessibility and growth potential for EU companies'.
The conclusions of this ‘high level meeting' with industry representatives were not made public.
In July 2014, Mrs Ferragut MEP tabled another question http://bit.ly/1MceVPQ (External link) - the Commission's answer was as follows: ‘The Commission services are working on the preparation of a draft European Accessibility Act with a view to safeguarding the proper functioning of the internal market and the accessibility of products and services in the EU. A lot of work has already been done (...) Stakeholders largely agree on the advantages of having common accessibility rules at EU level. The Commission has also commissioned an in-depth market study to gather further data of the situation in the EU and its Member States.'
Two months later MEP Vilija Blinkevičiūtė tabled another written question about the missing Act http://bit.ly/1zKN2ZE (External link) - newly appointed Commissioner Thyssen responded:
“1. The Commission services' preparatory work for a European Accessibility Act continues. The content of a future proposal cannot be prejudged at this stage. A lot of work has already been done — stakeholders have been consulted on different occasions, namely through a public consultation, a Eurobarometer, an SME Panel and a High-Level dialogue with industry and users representatives. Stakeholders largely agree on the advantages of having common accessibility rules at EU level. The Commission services have also commissioned an in-depth market study to gather further data of the situation in the EU and its Member States.
2. The preparatory work is addressing accessibility from different perspectives. Improving accessibility of products and services would be of benefit to persons with disabilities, older persons, people with small children, pregnant women as well as other groups with functional limitations whether permanent or temporary."
In November 2014 MEPS Miguel Viegas, João Ferreira and Inês Cristina Zuber jointly tabled a further question about the missing Act http://bit.ly/1AlkG95 (External link) while also pointing to the inaccessibility of the European Commission's websites - highlighted in our November 2014 Access Denied report http://www.euroblind.org/news/nr/2397. Commissioner Thyssen's answer to the question was simply to refer to her previous answer to the question tabled by MEP Blinkevičiūtė.
In December 2014, Web Accessibility Directive Rapporteur Dita Charanzova also asked the Commission further detailed questions about the Act http://bit.ly/1KIePxr (External link) . We noted that Commissioner Thyssen failed to answer the questions asked and, again, chose to refer to her answer to MEP Blinkevičiūtė.
In January this year, MEP Ferragut tabled another written question to the Commission http://bit.ly/1vjrHkW (External link) . In her question, Mrs Ferragut asks again about the timetable for publication of the Act and points to Commissioner Thyssen's personal promise, made during her hearing before the European Parliament Employment and Social Affairs Committee, that this would one of her priorities.
We look forward to reading Commissioner Thyssen's answer to this latest question. Indeed, we need the Commission to explain why the European Accessibility Act has been repeatedly delayed, why it was not included in the Commission's 2015 work programme and when it will be published. We hope that the Commissioner will finally answer the legitimate questions that so many representatives of European citizens have been repeatedly asking. Time is up! 30 million blind and partially sighted people and 80 million disabled people in Europe deserve an answer.
