Euroopa Ombudsman

The European Blind Union (EBU) has members in 44 countries, including in all 25 EU member states. Our members provide services, training and advice as well as representing the rights of blind and partially sighted people. We undertake research, promote public awareness and empower blind and partially sighted people to take up their rights and lead active lives.

The European Blind Union welcomes the European Ombudsman's own initiative inquiry into the integration of persons with disabilities and the opportunity to comment on the Commission's opinion.

EBU notes the general recognition by the Commission that more still needs to be done to promote the rights of disabled people to participate fully in all aspects of society. We acknowledge too that the Commission has taken a number of initiatives to improve the integration of blind and partially sighted people in their relations with that institution.

Accessibility of documents

EBU has long campaigned on the issue of Access to information as a key right for blind and partially sighted people and has produced guidelines to help organisations to improve ways in which they can communicate with their blind and partially sighted customers, constituents and citizens.

The ability to read written information is crucial to independence and the ability to do everyday things such as shop or travel. Information is not often available to people with sight problems in a way that they can read.

Many partially sighted people can read ordinary, printed information, if it is well designed. Text of a good size (such as 14 point print) and good contrast between the colour of the text and the background can help. Some people use large print, which can be any size from 16 point upwards.

Braille is a system of reading by touch, used regularly by a small number of visually impaired people. However, many more make use of Braille on signs, in lifts and on packaging.

Spoken word or audio tape or CD is also a popular method of accessing information. An increasing number of visually impaired people have access to computers and can access electronic information in different ways: via synthetic speech, braille displays, enlargement on screen etc..

EBU welcomes the efforts undertaken by the Commission to produce material in Braille for blind and partially sighted people. However, the Commission's opinion refers only to Braille as an alternative format. Much more needs to be done to ensure that all EU documents available to the general public can be produced in alternative formats upon request (Braille, large print, audio format and electronic format) and without undue delay.

The Commission must continue to ensure that documents and other material posted on the EUROPA site are fully accessible for blind and partially sighted people in compliance with WAI Guidelines. Updating and adaptation should be carried out as soon as possible. More specifically, the problems caused by inaccessible PDF files also need to be tackled. In addition, independent and comprehensive assessment of the EUROPA site, with use of access technology, should be undertaken yearly in order to ensure the site complies with WAI guidelines.

It is also important that web based consultations are available both on-line in compliant format and in other alternative formats upon request.

Accessibility of buildings

EBU would like disability awareness training for Commission staff to be an integral part of improving the physical accessibility of buildings. This is especially relevant to blind and partially sighted people.

Recruitment by EPSO

We welcome the establishment of the sub-working group which has produced a report on the accessibility of the recruitment process for candidates with visual impairments and the European Blind Union is happy to engage in any future initiatives aimed at making recruitment, advertising of posts and application procedures of the EU institutions more accessible to blind and partially sighted people.

For more information, please contact:
Catrin Roberts, European Campaigns Officer RNIB, Catrin.Roberts@rnib.org.uk, tel +44 020 7391 2087