אַקטיוויס באַווייַזן בייַ די European פּאַרליאַמענט פאַך פֿאַר אַ שטאַרק געזעץ אויף #אַקסעססיביליטי אין אייראָפּע

Today (6 March) we are demonstrating in front of the European Parliament and we are calling on Parliamentarians to promote a strong and effective European Accessibility Act.

Millions of people in Europe are still excluded from using basic products and services that are taken for granted for other people. Due to lack of accessibility, withdrawing money from a cash machine, entering a bank or any public building, using the metro, issuing a ticket, using a computer, calling a friend, watching TV, staying in a hotel, using a washing machine, are impossible for many people, including persons with disabilities and older people.

The European Parliament is currently discussing the European Commission’s proposal for the European Accessibility Act. This is a proposal for a law that could make several products and services in the European Union accessible for all citizens including 80 million persons with disabilities and 190 million people aged 50 and older.

The demonstration takes place because of our deep concern about the recently published פּלאַן באַריכט פון די Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO Committee), which is the responsible Committee for the European Accessibility Act in the European Parliament. The Committee’s report is watering down the proposal for the Act to such an extent that fundamentally important parts of the Act may be lost.

The aim of today’s demonstration is to call on the IMCO Committee and the European Parliament to adopt a stronger and more ambitious position on the Accessibility Act. The European Union and almost all of its member states –except Ireland- have ratified the פֿאַראייניקטע פֿעלקער קאַנווענשאַן אויף די הזכויות פון מענטשן מיט דיסאַביליטיעס (יו.ען. קרפּד). Thus, they are obliged under article 9 of the CRPD to deliver accessible products and services to all their citizens.

Among others, we are calling on the European Parliament: