ACTIVITIES :: e-Inclusion :: eAccessibility :: 2005 Communication
The 2005 Communication on eAccessibility
In September 2005, the European Commission adopted a Communication on eAccessibility to ensure that as many people as possible can fully participate in the Information Society. In particular, the proposals aimed to encourage manufacturers of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and public-sector bodies to better take into account the needs of the elderly and people with disabilities.
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The Commission is committed to ensuring that everyone benefits from the knowledge society. Unfortunately, a ‘digital divide’ has developed so that some groups in society are lagging behind in terms of use and uptake of ICT products and services.
To assess this problem, the Commission consulted users, industry, standardisation bodies and other stakeholders before launching its 2005 accessibility proposals. The consultations revealed an inconsistent approach to accessibility issues in the development of ICT products and services.
In response, the Communication outlined aims to:
- Ensure that accessibility issues and requirements are properly catered for in the public procurement of ICT goods and services;
- Look into the value of developing certification schemes for ICT products and services to allow a reliable assessment of the conformity of a product or service with accessibility requirements;
- Make best use of existing European legislation on eAccessibility.
A consistent approach
The public sector’s buying power accounts for an estimated 16% of Europe’s gross domestic product. Ensuring that eAccessibility criteria are consistently included in the drafting of technical specifications would promote equality of access in the knowledge society, and encourage industry to think more clearly about accessibility at design and manufacturing stages. For example, following the adoption of common guidelines all public websites in the EU should now cater for people with disabilities and this should be a criteria in any tender for website design work – however, this is not always the case.
Developing European certification on eAccessibility for ICT products and services could also help to improve standards across the European Union and help change attitudes in industry. The aim of certification would be two-fold: it would help customers to select the products and services that best meet their needs; and to recognise those manufacturers and service providers who provide high-quality, accessible goods and services.
Certification could also help to drive standardisation of technologies for disabled and elderly users. This would help manufacturers and service providers avoid unwanted costs and improve interoperability, thus opening up a far larger market. For example, at the moment several incompatible text phone systems exist for hearing impaired people: a Europe-wide standard could break down this particular communication barrier.
Towards legislation
Legislation on accessibility to ICT exists in some Member States, but coverage and implementation are patchy, as reported by INCOM in its 2006 report. Moreover, progress in eAccessibility measured throughout Europe has shown to be poor by a study. To overcome the current shortcomings and to prevent further market fragmentation, the Commission is exploring the possibility of drafting a specific eAccessibility regulation.