Making the technological means of information also accessible to the disabled: this commitment of the European Commission, announced in recent days, is aimed at facilitating the access of the disabled to the information society. According to the European Disability Forum (EDF), the organization that represents the interests of the disabled in Europe, the Commission’s proposal is a positive step but it needs to be completed by effective legislation. “The Commission explicitly recognises the right of 50 million persons with disabilities [in Europe] to participate fully in the information society – commented Yannis Vardakastanis, president of the Forum and this in itself means great progress. But if the voluntary approach is not reinforced by effective legislation, there are no guarantees that disabled people will not be victims of ‘digital separation'”. The EDF has also expressed its satisfaction because the development of standards and labels of accessibility will be guaranteed for disabled consumers at the time of the purchase of products or services, as well as a key to enable non-disabled consumers to increase their own level of knowledge. For further information: www.edf-feph.org/en/news/press.htm
