WRITTEN QUESTION E-0529/00 by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission. Workplace equipment for blind switchboard operators.
Date: 2000-02-28
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: equal treatment, ergonomics, facilities for people with disabilities, new technology, physically disabled person, right to work, standardisation, telephone, worker with disabilities

21.11.2000

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 330 E/181

Does it agree that it is necessary to look into this delicate and important subject more closely by, for
example, carrying out a comparative study of mobbing in the various countries of the European Union
and examining possible solutions?

What internal measures does the Commission intend to take in connection with the administrative reforms
currently under way?

Answer given by Ms Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(27 April 2000)

The Commission agrees with the Honourable Member that this subject should be investigated more closely
and, indeed, the Advisory Committee on Safety, Hygiene and Health Protection at Work has set up a
working party on the prevention of violence in the workplace. The working document on this subject,
drawn up by an institute at the Commission(cid:146)s request, and a publication by the ILO (International Labour
Organisation) on violence in the workplace, also presented to the working party, have been forwarded
directly to the Honourable Member and to the Secretariat General of the Parliament.

At its first meeting in October 1999, the working party decided to investigate the subject of violence in
the workplace in general, including mobbing and sexual harassment at work.

The working party is currently drawing up an opinion on this subject which is due to be discussed at the
plenary meeting of the Advisory Committee planned for October 2000. On the basis of this opinion, the
Commission will be able to assess the need for new Community measures to protect workers from
violence in the workplace.

As part of the reform of the Staff Regulations, Action 47 of the White Paper (1) on reforming the
Commission expressly provides for the adoption of provisions to protect the dignity of the person in the
workplace.

With regard to sexual harassment in particular, which may be considered to be one of the specific aspects
of violence in the workplace, in 1990 the Commission published a code of conduct for its staff, which was
supplemented and updated in 1996.

(1) COM(2000) 200.

(2000/C 330 E/208)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0529/00

by Michl Ebner (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2000)

Subject: Workplace equipment for blind switchboard operators

The occupation of switchboard operator is one of the few employment opportunities available to blind
people. As a consequence of advances in the field of electronics, switchboards are currently being
manufactured in such a way that blind and partially-sighted people are no longer able to work
independently and in the most effective manner. The new switchboards often do not permit blind people
to identify incoming calls, lines which are not engaged, and the engaged signal for internal telephones, as
such information only appears on a display suitable for use by people who are able to see. Blind people
need to be provided with the information in an acoustic form or in a form identifiable to the touch. In
order to ensure that blind and partially-sighted people continue to have the opportunity to work as
switchboard operators, and are able to exercise their right to work,
it is important for producers of
telephone equipment to manufacture switchboards in such a way that they can be easily and inexpensively
adapted for use by blind people.

Do European directives or regulations exist requiring manufacturers to design equipment in such a way as
to meet the needs of blind people?

Does the Commission intend to duly examine this problem and to submit appropriate proposals for
legislation?

C 330 E/182

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

21.11.2000

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(17 April 2000)

The Commission believes that developments taking place in the field of new technologies can and must be
used in order to create new employment opportunities for the disabled, including blind people. In addition,
the focus should no longer be on low-skilled and often repetitive jobs which do not reflect the vocational
skills or motivation of the people concerned.

impairment.

Technology is now available to allow adaptation of telecommunication switchboards for people with visual
impairment using standard flexible personal computer technology to interface with the operator.
In
addition, both software and hardware exists to increase the accessibility of computer technologies to
those with visual
It is therefore questionable to what extent it is necessary to impose
additional technical specifications to ensure a higher level of adaptation for such equipment. Directive
1999/5/EC of the Parliament and the Council of 9 March 1999, relating to radio equipment and
telecommunications terminal equipment (1) gives the Commission the possibility to consider whether
certain classes of equipment need to be re-designed to facilitate their use by people with different forms
of impairment. The Commission set up study groups (in which groups with various forms of disability
were represented) to assess the requirements for applying this provision. As a result of the discussions the
Commission concluded that, at present, there is no substantive justification to apply this provision, given
that the barriers to access identified were not of a technical nature.

Furthermore, under the Community policy on the standardisation of
the
Commission gave a standardisation mandate to the European standardisation bodies, namely the European
Committee for Standardisation (CEN),
the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation
(Cenelec) and the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), with the aim of identifying
specific standardisation needs in order to improve the integration of disabled people into the information
society.

the information society,

Lastly, in November 1999, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Council Directive establishing a
general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (2). The proposal makes provision
for equal employment opportunities, in particular by requiring employers, within reasonable limits, to
adapt workstations for disabled people.

(1) OJ L 91, 7.4.1999.
(2) COM(1999) 565 final.

(2000/C 330 E/209)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0530/00

by Brigitte Langenhagen (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(28 February 2000)

Subject: Implementation of the Socrates education programme

that during the implementation of

My researches reveal
the Socrates student exchange programme
problems with the recognition of certificates at partner universities have been caused by differences in
academic systems. This appears to be especially true of exchanges between German and French
universities. If the certificates awarded for such post-graduate courses were recognised, it would be easier
to motivate young students to take part. As it is, they have the impression that the participants in
exchanges fall behind in the achievement of their academic objectives and do not develop any interest in
an exchange in the future.

Can the Commission answer the following:

1. To what extent were the differences between the Member States(cid:146) academic systems taken into account

when the Socrates programme was being established?