Brussels, 26/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - Unanimously adopting the Opinion by Miguel Angel Cabra De Luna (Various Interest Group, Spain) on "eEUROPE 2002: Accessibility of Public Web sites and their Content" at its February plenary, the Economic and Social Committee (ESC) highlighted that everyone has the right to access information and if the disabled cannot access information, they cannot exercise their social and political rights. "The Committee welcomes this proposal for a European policy towards making public Web sites and their contents accessible for disabled people". The ESC recommends that in connection with the forthcoming European Year of People with Disabilities 2003, Mr Cabra De Luna said that the Commission's Commination is an important first step but "the issues dealt with should be the subject of mandatory legislation" and therefore calls on the European Institutions, Member States and employers to make their websites accessible to the disabled.
Blind Italian expert Rodolfo Cattani explained to journalists that with the Communication, the Commission was trying to launch a new perspective in terms of the social, civil and economic integration of the disabled in the EU. The problem of website accessibility does not just affect the blind and partially sighted, he explained, but also people with motor or cognitive difficulties.
The sites have to be used effectively and productively (including interactive activities) for all users, he added, and that action taken for the disabled is also very useful for people suffering from temporary disabilities (due to illness, or people who are in wheelchairs for a while after road accidents or the elderly).
He explained that the Communication wanted to put forward a social philosophy and called on Member States to taken measures to make sites fully accessible to the disabled.
We would have preferred an EU directive ratified by all Member States, followed by laws that are enforced (which does not happen simply for recommendations) explained Mr Cattani, expressing the view of the ESC that also wants suitable measures to be taken by civil services and social and civil dialogue in order to get results by consensus. The Communication would launch dialogue with NGOs representing the disabled and elderly.
For the ESC, what is important is for all terminals to be made accessible to all citizens and provided for the disabled and isolated people; and for access to technology to be facilitated in all countries taking account of the specific needs of the disabled (access costs can be three times as high for the disabled, for example).