קסנומקס מיליאָן בלינד און טייל סייטאַד בירגערס רופן אויף אי.יו. צו אַפּכאָולד זייער רעכט

On the occasion of the European Day for People with Disabilities (3 December), the European Blind Union (EBU), the voice of blind and partially sighted people in Europe, is present in Brussels this week to make their voice heard on key priorities currently in the EU institutions’ pipeline.

• Silent cars: Despite their advantages in terms of reduced emissions and health benefits, silent vehicles are impossible to detect audibly and thus make crossing roads a very dangerous exercise for us. The European institutions are currently working on a Regulation that addresses the audibility of hybrid and electric vehicles, and it is hoped that the compromise reached between MEPs and Council will be adopted next month but are also keen to see our additional requests to make the roads safer for blind and partially sighted people addressed.

• Web accessibility: In Europe the vast majority of public and commercial websites is inaccessible to blind and partially sighted people. A year ago, the European Commission published a much awaited Directive on accessibility of public sector bodies’ websites. Unfortunately, the proposal fell far short of upholding its promises. While MEPs have significantly amended the proposal, the Council has not discussed it since the end of the Irish EU Presidency. The blind and partially sighted are demanding equal access to public websites and websites delivering basic services to citizens; we want to do the same things online as any other EU citizen from finding information about transport to banking, we want to read online newspapers, use social networks, shop online and so on.

The ratification and implementation of the WIPO Treaty: Fewer than 5% of books published each year are ever produced in a format we can read such as braille, audio, large print and accessible electronic formats. On 27 June the 'Marrakesh treaty to Improve Access to information for persons who are blind, visually impaired or otherwise print disabled' was adopted, providing a crucial legal framework for adoption of national copyright exceptions in countries that lack them. However it will only be of any benefit if it comes into force. The EU must not waste all the hard work the international community put into agreeing this historic Treaty: EBU is urging the Commission to start the ratification process and all member states to urgently sign and ratify it without delay.

EBU President Wolfgang Angermann said: "It is time for the EU to stop treating the 30 million EU citizens who are blind or partially sighted as second-class citizens. We are denied access to online information and basic services. We can’t walk around safely. We cannot enjoy many of the basic rights that most people take for granted. This is not acceptable and we need the EU to act!"

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