What is e-accessibility?

By e-accessibility EDF understands access to mainstream ICT products and services by the widest possible number of people, regardless of their age or disabilities, in accordance with the concept of Design for All.

However, persons with disabilities, who are a very heterogeneous group, may still need in some cases special services or goods. It is therefore important to also support the development of assistive technologies and ensure compatibility and interoperability between assistive and mainstream technologies.

Why is e-accessibility crucial for persons with disabilities?

• Accessing mainstream ICT products and services is a fundamental consumer right, from which consumers with disabilities should not be excluded. Not being able to access them is discrimination.
• People with disabilities use technological assistance for daily activities to a higher extent than other people. With technological equipment, adapted to the abilities of everyone, disabled end-users would be able to participate in all aspects of social life on more equal terms than ever before.
• E-accessibility would ensure access to education, jobs and leisure for people with disabilities.
• Older people and the general public are also likely to benefit from accessible ICT.

How has e-accessibility been addressed at EU level?

The European Union has so far adopted only non-binding instruments such as:

• 2002 European Commission (EC) communication
• 2003 European Parliament and Council resolutions on e-2002: accessibility of public websites and their content
• 2005 EC communication on e-accessibility
• 2006 Riga Ministerial Declaration on e-inclusion and the Riga dashboard
• 2007 EC communication on e-inclusion and the i2010-a European Information Society for growth and employment.

Why is EDF calling for a binding-legislation (i.e. a directive)?

• non-binding instruments haven’t proved their effectiveness to deliver e-accessibility
• it would be in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which include accessibility of information and communication technologies and systems (article 9), access to information (article 21) and television programmes (article 30)
• the 2007 “measuring e-accessibility study” demonstrates an overall lack of progress in Europe and the market is not delivering e-accessibility to the European consumers
• not achieving e-accessibility would have a deep social effect, increasing costs of social protection systems and generating extra costs for the support of persons with disabilities and their families
• it results in a loss of human capital of disabled workers and thus in a general loss of productivity
• the general public will also benefit from e-accessibility measures.

Download

EDF-ANEC joint position paper on web- and e-accessibility – July 2008

EDF-ANEC joint position paper on e-accessibility – December 2007