hi all:
below is the text of a message posted to the Eeurope-pwd list details the
conclusions reached at the above meetings
its quite long, I have the conclusions available as a word rtf file too if
you prefer that format just ask.
Brussels, 29 April 2001
------------------------------
As part of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, an EU Expert
Meeting on Accessibility was held in Linkoebing, Sweden, 25-26 April. The
meeting was attended by representatives of EU Member States, Accession
states to the EU, South Africa and others.
The meeting debated accessibility issues under three headings:
A. Design for All
B. Information and Communication Technologies
C. Access to the Built Environment
The conclusions and recommendations of the meeting represent a firm
commitment to remove access barriers - wherever they appear - for persons
with disabilities in Europe; and to take a pro-active approach to minimise
the possibility of new barriers appearing in future. Freedom of movement,
access to information and full participation are re-confirmed as basic
rights for all citizens, which should be supported in European policy-making
and action.
The full text of the conclusions is given below and attached as a WORD file
in RTF format.
--
Results of the EU expert meeting, Linköbing, Sweden. 25-26 April 2001
Policy area: Employment and social policy
News item: Conclusions
Web:
www.eu2001.se
The policies of the European Union and the individual Member States
regarding persons with disabilities must be expressed in terms of human
rights and non-discrimination. It is crucial to bear disabilities in mind
when preparing general measures, and to enact special measures to ensure
equal opportunity.
This approach is reflected both in European and international disability
policies. Environmental barriers are a greater impediment to participation
in society than functional limitations. Barrier removal through
legislation, universal design (Design for All), provision of
accommodations and other means, has been identified as the key to
equalisation of opportunities for people with disabilities. (COM (2000)
284). Much still remains to be done, and no single country has a policy
that fully and effectively integrates disability-related measures into
general procedures of planning, design and construction. International
exchange of experiences can therefore contribute to improvements here.
Disability policy must permeate all spheres and sectors of society.
Governments must therefore introduce the consideration of disabilities
into all areas of policy. The European Commission's services have an
important role to play in raising awareness of disability issues, both by
encouraging more inter-sector cooperation in this field, and by setting a
good example in this respect.
The free movement of persons is part of the foundation of EU cooperation
and an inherent right of European citizenship. When barriers for
accessibility and activity are removed, people of different backgrounds
have the opportunity to meet and contribute to progress and production.
Not until then do we achieve a truly prosperous society. To become the
most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable
of sustainable economic growth, and offering more and better jobs and
greater social cohesion, the European Union must utilise the human
resources that people with disabilities represent. This can be done
through measures to promote free movement and a common market, such as the
standardisation of products and services.
ˇ Recognition of the need to make decisions only after having made a
disability consequence analysis.
ˇ Recognition of the need for measures for the realization of the free
movement for all citizens of the European Union, including persons with
disabilities.
ˇ Recognition of the need for further measures, developing
non-discrimination legislation based on article 13 of the Amsterdam
Treaty.
ˇ Recognition of the need in all standardisation work to consider
consumers with disabilities.
ˇ Recognition of the need for research regarding implementation
strategies.
ˇ Recognition of public procurement as a tool to achieve accessibility.
Workshop A: Design for All
The EU Social Charter recognises and respects the right of persons with
disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure independence,
social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the
community. In today's society, access to and use of products, systems and
services are necessary conditions for full and active participation in
community life. Good design is important as a means of combating
discrimination.
Recommendations of the meeting:
ˇ Encourage stakeholders, including industry, to ensure that products and
services address the needs of the widest possible audience.
ˇ Include Design for All concepts in education curricula.
ˇ Use standards and legislation and combine them with sanctions and
monitoring mechanisms.
ˇ Promote research and development to increase knowledge regarding the
concept of Design for All (e.g. in the Sixth Framework programme).
ˇ Set up policies, which make accessibility a precondition for public
procurement.
Workshop B: Information and Communication Technology, ICT
ICT plays a central role in the life of all citizens, including those with
disabilities.
The human rights dimension must be a guiding principle when using ICT to
create opportunities for full citizenship and active participation,
independent living and equality of opportunity for people with
disabilities. The disability perspective in the eEurope Action Plan should
not be limited to the social policy sector, but must also impact on all
fields. New technology may also create new obstacles.
Recommendations of the meeting:
ˇ Ensure that a disability perspective permeates the entire Europe Action
Plan, in particular Government
ˇ Ensure that the design and standardisation of products and services in
the Information Society considers the needs of people with disabilities
ˇ Promote the use of ICT in Assistive Technology
ˇ Promote research with a holistic approach on accessibility and assistive
technology for people with disabilities in the Sixth Framework programme
as well as accessibility in all relevant areas throughout the programme.
Resources for follow-through on research results.
ˇ Implement the W3C/WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines to ensure
that public websites are accessible for people with disabilities
ˇ Make use of accessibility and usability standards and guidelines as a
precondition for public funding
ˇ Establish European measures to monitor and clarify developments
ˇ Ensure access to the Information Society through legislation (including
anti-discrimination), product directives, procurement policies, mandatory
regulations and other
ˇ Create fora for interaction between industry, users and researchers
ˇ Resourcing for user awareness, training and involvement in ICT product,
system and service design and strengthen the role of organisations of
people with disabilities in this regard
ˇ Ensure that European Computer Driver's Licence (ECDL) training and
certification process is accessible to people with disabilities
Workshop C: Accessibility to the Built Environment
Accessibility to the built environment for persons with disabilities is
crucial from a human rights perspective. How can this be transformed into
added value from the perspective of the European Union? By achieving an
inclusive and economically sustainable society, not only through urban
planning, architecture and design but also by focusing on the diversity
and human rights of the members of that society. The complexity of the
regulatory schemes governing new and existing built environments, and its
implementation, clearly reveals the necessity for a study to identify
barriers within these fields and target the most appropriate policy
processes.
Recommendations of the meeting:
ˇ An action plan targeting solutions and appropriate Union measures to be
implemented. The overall aims of such an action plan should include:
- non-discrimination directive
- must be a comprehensive, mandatory accessibility directive
- set down a concise time-table for standardisation as mentioned in the
Commission's Communication "Towards a Barrier-free Europe"
- provide funding to enable user involvement in standardisation processes
- programme for public awareness raising among the stakeholders in the
field
- to use public procurement to include disability criteria in the
provision of goods and services
ˇ Follow up the relevant conventions, agreements, resolutions and
recommendations of the Council of Europe as well as establish the
necessary mechanisms to enable that process.
--
Ivor Ambrose,
LIVING Research and Development sprl
Rue Charles Degroux 96
B-1040 Brussels
Belgium.
Tel. 0032 (0)2 733 17 19
Mobile: 0032 (0)495 514115
Fax. 0032 (0)2 733 17 19
Email:
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Adrian Higginbotham.
SURFACE (Salford University, Research Focus on Accessible Environments).
tel: (44_-161-2953949,
fax (44)-161-2955011,
Email [log in to unmask]
textphone (44)-161-2953599.
web: http://www.scpm.salford.ac.uk/surface/
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