On the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD), EUD joined a joint letter led by the European Disability Forum (EDF), together with disability organisations across Europe, calling on the European Commission to strengthen accessibility obligations under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD).
The letter was addressed to Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, and was co-signed by EDF, EUD, EFHOH, Inclusion Europe, and the European Blind Union (EBU).
The joint call urges the European Commission to:
- Strengthen Article 7 of the AVMSD to ensure all audiovisual media service providers continuously make their services accessible
- Establish harmonised accessibility requirements across access services
- Improve accessibility of video-sharing platforms, social media, and online news platforms
- Ensure accessible emergency information
- Introduce stronger monitoring and enforcement mechanisms for non-compliance
For Deaf people, access to audiovisual media — including sign language interpretation and accurate subtitling — is essential for equal participation in information, culture, and democratic life. The letter highlights concerns about inconsistent implementation across Member States, including gaps in signing and subtitling obligations and wide variation in the quality of access services.
EUD supports this call in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), in particular Articles 9 and 30 on accessibility and participation in cultural and public life.
Read the full joint letter
