AccessibleEU centre: a first step towards an EU agency on accessibility



AccessibleEU centre: a first step towards an EU agency on accessibility

The Disability Intergroup Bureau welcomes the adoption of the report “AccessibleEU Centre in support of accessibility policies in the EU internal market” in the European Parliament Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO).

The Disability Intergroup would like to remind the Parliament’s resolution calling the European Commission to establish the EU Access Board, a new European agency on accessibility similar to other successful public bodies in countries such as the US or Poland. Hence, the AccessibleEU centre, through its work, must pave the way for the EU to set up a regulatory agency aiming at boosting accessibility for persons with disabilities in all areas of life.

In this same vein, the Disability Intergroup expects the European Commission to take into full consideration the recommendations laid down by the IMCO Committee, and requests the Commission and the organisation managing the AccessibleEU centre to set up a physical centre which is open to all EU citizens and gives visibility to accessibility as a human right.

The creation of the AccessibleEU centre in 2022, as announced in the European Disability Rights Strategy 2021-2030, should aim at supporting the implementation of accessibility policies across the EU, and set the collaboration between the Commission, Member States, accessibility professionals and persons with disabilities in matters related to accessibility.

Given its importance, the co-chairs of the Disability Intergroup are grateful for the work done by their colleague Katrin Langensiepen, rapporteur of the report, and commit themselves to continue working for a future real European agency on accessibility that is transformative and impactful.