- AccessibleEU will promote the implementation of accessibility policies in the Member States
- Registrations to follow the event will be open until Monday, July 3rd
The European Commission launches this Tuesday, July 4 from 09:30 to 13:00 pm (CEST) AccessibleEU, one of the initiatives proposed by the Commission in the framework of the European Disability Strategy 2021-2030. The consortium in charge of this project, led by Fundación ONCE, is formed by the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), the Johannes Kepler Linz University (Austria) and the Spanish Association for Standardization (UNE). The purpose of the event is to explain the center’s objectives and expected results. In addition, the work of the different partners and other interested parts will be presented, as well as their needs and difficulties in implementing accessibility.
AccessibleEU will be presented as a Europe-wide meeting point on accessibility, offering constantly updated knowledge and practical skills for a variety of stakeholders, including policy makers, legislators and representatives of elderly and disabled people. The aim of AccessibleEU is to share best practices, inspire the development of both national and European policies and promote tools and standards to facilitate the implementation of European Union law. To this end, an online library on accessibility will be launched, which will include direct access to the most important databases on legislation, standards, documentation and other relevant information.
After the conclusions and the networking lunch, a series of workshops will be held from 2:30 p.m. onwards to share the activity and perspectives on accessibility in the different EU member states. The agenda of the event will include the participation of several experts from Fundación ONCE.
Those interested can register online at the following link:
Agenda of the launch event
The launch event will be held from 09:30 to 13:00 (CEST) in English and in face-to-face and online format. The international sign system will be used, live subtitles will be provided and simultaneous English-Spanish translation will be offered.
Following the opening, a first session and presentation of the objectives, there will be three technical panels. The first, entitled ‘Challenges in implementing accessibility legislation in the EU’, will analyze the difficulties of different countries in implementing European laws at the national level and will address strategies, good practices and success stories.
The second panel, ‘Connecting the actors’, will share the needs of the different agents involved in the development and use of accessible environments, products and services. Companies, public administration and users will be represented.
The third panel, entitled ‘Training of accessibility professionals’, will deal with the different accessibility training strategies that have been implemented. This panel will focus in the difficulties and success stories in the implementation of accessibility in the academic programs of universities and the development of technological tools to provide training in an open and massive format.
Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030
The creation of the European Center for Accessibility is one of the main initiatives proposed by the European Commission, within the Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for 2021-2030, with which the European Commission aims to improve the lives of the approximately 87 million Europeans who have a disability.
The Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 is the basic document from which the Union’s policies are derived since it replaced the European Disability Strategy 2010-2020.
The strategy is based on eight pillars: Vision and need for action, accessibility enjoying EU Rights, decent quality of life and living independently, equal access and non-discrimination, promoting the rights of persons with disabilities globally, efficiently delivering the strategy, leading by example.
About DESTINE
The Erasmus DESTINE (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) project was born with the aim of promoting an online Vocational Training that guarantees support for diversity, inclusion and tolerance, providing the necessary tools so that all professionals and students can adapt to the e-learning methodology. DESTINE focuses especially on those vocational training students who need a learning environment adapted to their needs.
About ERASMUS +
Erasmus+ 2021-2027 is the European Union’s renewed programme in the fields of education and training, youth and sport, offering opportunities for all people and in all education sectors (School Education, Professional Training, Higher Education and Adult Education). This new Erasmus+ is more international, more inclusive, more digital and greener, supporting digital transformation, inclusion and diversity, as well as the environment and the fight against climate change. With a budget of more than €28 billion, it will fund learning-related mobility and cross-border cooperation projects for 10 million people of all ages and from all backgrounds. “This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”