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The European Blind Union (EBU) issues the following declaration to
decision-makers in the European Union (EU) on behalf of the more than ten
million blind and partially sighted people in the EU, following the
"Citizens' Europe for All" conference held in Dublin, Ireland, on 15-17 May
2009 with the support of the Europe for Citizens programme:
Our aim is full inclusion in society as equal citizens. Despite the advances
which have taken place in recent years, developments in technology, the
environment and legislation, such as that on telecommunications, have often
failed to take account of the needs of blind and partially sighted people.
Blind and partially sighted people have specific needs, for example for
information in accessible formats such as braille, large print and audio.
Measures to ensure that practice and legislation take account of the needs
of disabled people must include the needs of blind and partially sighted
people.
The needs of blind and partially sighted people should as far as possible be
met by mainstream services, but some specialist provision should be
available for those with specialised needs.
The rights of blind and partially sighted people should be guaranteed by a
combination of measures to combat discrimination and positive action.
Non-discrimination plus positive action results in social inclusion.
There should be equality of participation and treatment as between persons
of both genders, all races and ethnic origin, all ages, all degrees of
visual impairment and all other grounds of discrimination.
To achieve our goals, EBU is committed to enhancing cooperation with our
partners in civil society.
1. The right to participate in EU decision-making processes at all stages
and at all levels--nothing about us without us;
2. Swift ratification and implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities--the future cannot wait;
3. Early adoption of the Equal Treatment Directive to guarantee equality of
access in all aspects of life, including education, employment, transport,
healthcare, social protection, social services, goods and services, the
built environment, information and communications and housing--to go from
words to deeds;
4. Education in inclusive settings which take account of our specific
educational needs and wishes;
5. Measures to combat the disastrous situation in which three out of four
blind and partially sighted people of working age are unemployed;
6. A decent standard of living;
7. Legislative measures within the Internal Market to ensure that all goods
and services are designed and delivered to be fully accessible on "design
for all" principle;
8. Accessible information and ICT, including e- and web accessibility, and
EU information;
9. The dismantling of copyright barriers to accessing books and materials in
any format, including electronic;
10. The right to learn braille and use it alongside modern technologies;
11. Accessible telecommunications, including digital media, designed to
support audio-description, accessible electronic programme guides and all
other controls;
12. Accessible voting procedures and recognition of the right to stand as a
candidate in elections;
13. The maintenance of traditional distinctions between pedestrian areas and
traffic, and ways of warning of the approach of the so-called silent car;
14. The maintenance of freepost services for blind and partially sighted
people.
European Blind Union - Dublin, 17 May 2009.
The European Blind Union is a non-governmental, non profit making European
organisation founded in 1984. It is one of the six regional bodies of the
World Blind Union, and it promotes the interests of blind people and people
with low vision in Europe.
It currently operates within a network of 45 national members
including organisations from all 27 European Union member states, candidate
countries and other major countries in geographical Europe.
For further information or clarification, please contact the EBU Office.
58 avenue Bosquet, 75007 Paris, France
Tel : +33 1 47 05 38 20 ; Fax : +33 1 47 05 21
E-mail : ebu@euroblind.org