from the Web:
http://www.edf-feph.org/en/policy/is/is_newa_co.htm
04/09/2003
TV WITHOUT FRONTIERS
European Parliament votes to improve television access for disabled
people
On 4 September the EP adopted their Resolution on the TV without Frontiers
Directive – which reports on the implementation process of this
Directive.
One of the most significant points made is in para. 34 calling for an
annual benchmarking process on progress made by Member States in relation
to access to TV broadcasting for disabled people. (see below). The idea
would be to clearly identify which member states are performing well
and which are not.
This proposal is inserted as a result of lobbying work undertaken by
EBU, EUD, RNID and the European Hard of Hearing Federation supported
by EDF.
It was discussed extensively at a Disability Intergroup meeting earlier
this year.
Paragraph 34:
"Notes that levels of sub-titling and sign language interpretation
and presentation of programmes in sign language for those with hearing
difficulties, and of audiovisual description for the visually impaired,
vary quite widely from Member State to Member State; recalls the Commission's
commitment to the European Parliament in June 2002 to raise this issue
in the present report; notes that the Commission has not done so; calls
once again on the Commission to address the problem of improving access
to the broadcast media for those suffering from sensory impairment;
calls on the Commission, in its work programme, to include an annual
benchmarking report on the progress in all Member States on making digital
TV accessible for people with disabilities; believes that this report
should be based on National Action Plans on 'Improving disabled people's
access to digital TV' submitted to the Commission by each of the Member
States."
http://www3.europarl.eu.int/omk/omnsapir.so/pv2?
PRG=QUERY&APP=PV2&LANGUE=EN&TYPEF=A5&
YEAR=03&NUMERO=0251&FILE=BIBLIO&PLAGE=1