14.4.2023
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
C 132/27 Tuesday 4 October 2022
6.
Calls on the Commission to ensure adequate resources, both in terms of funding and human resources, for the establishment and functioning of the Centre; calls on the Member States to ensure the resources needed for the implementation and enforcement of accessibility policies, including through EU funds; stresses that sufficient funding is imperative for the pursuit of effective public policies on accessibility, as well as for achieving progress on a wide range of topics such as raising awareness through communication actions, in particular towards organisations representing persons with disabilities, recognition of invisible disabilities and harmonisation of national disability cards or accessibility standards;
Structure
7.
Calls on the Commission to establish a secretariat and a forum to steer and lead the work of the Centre; underlines that the forum should guarantee the balanced participation of stakeholders from the public and private sectors and right-holders with suitable experience in the field of accessibility; stresses that gender balance should be ensured; underlines that the participation of organisations representing persons with disabilities must be ensured as an essential part of the Centre’s work, in order to ensure the highest possible level of transparency concerning its activities; believes that the Centre should publish an annual work programme and should include in the forum representatives among the Members of the European Parliament;
8.
Highlights the specific challenges posed by particular domains of accessibility policies, such as built environment, public procurement, digital technologies, media and culture, transportation, emerging technologies and assistive technologies, and products and services open to the public; calls on the Commission to establish specialised sub-groups of experts for certain areas; is convinced that these groups should work closely with the Centre, the Member States, persons with disabilities and organisations representing persons with disabilities, in order to guarantee better assessment, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of accessibility-related legislation;
9.
Calls on the Member States to establish national accessibility hubs, which could comprise of contact points and mirror groups of experts to work hand in hand with the Centre on implementing, monitoring and enforcing accessibility legislation; is of the opinion that the national accessibility hubs should facilitate exchange and coordination among relevant stakeholders and rights-holders, including economic operators, organisations of persons with disabilities and national authorities responsible for accessibility and the implementation of sectoral legislation; is convinced that the subject matter experts of the Centre should provide guidance and training to all relevant stakeholders; believes that such groups could help to find accessibility solutions which take into account the national specificities;
Mandate
10.
Believes that the Centre should function as a hub which provides relevant EU institutions and bodies and its Member States when implementing Union law with regular assistance and expertise relating to accessibility policies and technical requirements; believes that the Centre should establish and coordinate a cooperation framework that would bring together the relevant national and Union bodies with all user groups, in particular organisations representing persons with disabilities, civil society organisations, academia, companies and professionals from all areas of accessibility and consumer rights, in order to support harmonised implementation and enforcement across the EU, provide guidance and training, and to inspire policy developments and innovation at national and EU level, including through the identification and sharing of best practices across sectors, as well as through the creation of tools aiming to facilitate the implementation of Union law; believes moreover, that the Centre could enhance the collaboration between the above-mentioned bodies and organisations with highly innovative stakeholders, in order to promote the development of assistive technologies; considers that the Centre should also provide advice, including guidelines, to relevant EU institutions and bodies and its Member States on their internal accessibility policies and practises;
11.
Stresses the potential benefits of the Centre in supporting the Commission’s work, inter alia identifying and helping overcome gaps and inconsistencies in current legislation, providing policy recommendations for updating and developing accessibility laws, mainstreaming accessibility in all relevant policies under the responsibility of different Director­ ates-General of the Commission, including by identifying priority areas where accessibility should be improved, conducting projects that explore innovative ways to implement accessibility, assisting in drafting technical accessibility specifications, and helping EU agencies and bodies with accessibility-related matters;