Brussels, 16/06/2011 (Agence Europe) - With the European Commission currently evaluating the objectives of the digital strategy at its Digital Agenda Assembly, the European Blind Union (EBU) is launching a Europe-wide campaign, calling for legislation to make websites accessible to people with impaired sight. Stressing that information is increasingly available online only, the EBU points out that equal access to information for all citizens is a right and that people living with a disability may be excluded from a whole range of services affecting many fundamental sectors such as education, health, social protection, employment, transport, banking or housing, due to a lack of access to information. According to the EBU and its partner organisations, binding EU legislation would be the only way to guarantee rapid access to the websites of the public authorities and those which offer basic services. The European Commission should put forward proposals before the end of 2011 in order to make sure that the public sector offers websites which are fully accessible to all by 2015. “It is now time (…) to move from word to deeds. There have been enough studies, declarations, resolutions and communications addressing the issue (…) over the last 10 years. Now it is time to act”, said the president of the EBU, Lord Low. (I.L./transl.fl)