The European Council of Feira endorses the eEurope 2002 Action Plan

The European Council of Feira endorses the comprehensive eEurope 2002 Action
Plan

European Union heads of state and government meeting Tuesday innorthern
Portugal reiterated their political commitment to the strategy tomodernize
the European economy outlined by the Portuguese EU presidency at the March
summit in Lisbon.

The EU leaders at the Monday-Tuesday summit in Santa Maria da Feira approved
a number of measures that follow on the goals set in Lisbon on March 23-24
and which aim to turn Europe into the world`s most competitiveand dynamic
space within a decade.

Among measures which found backing at Feira are the so-called plan for an
"e-Europe", which include the following actions for people with
disabilities:

By the end of 2001:
Adoption of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) guidelines for public
websites.
Actors: European Commission, Member States

By the end of 2002:

Publication of "Design for all" standards for accessibility of information
technology products, in particular to improve the employability of people
with disabilities.
Actors: European Commission, Private Sector

Review relevant legislation and standards to ensure conformity with
accessibility principles.
Actors: European Commission, Member States

Ensure the establishment and networking of national centres of excellence in
design-for-all and create a European curriculum for designers and engineers.
Actors: European Commission, Member States

You can find the draft action plan prepared by the European
Commission for the European Cpuncil of Feira at (long URL)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information_society/eeurope/actionplan/index_en.ht
m

and the plans concerning people with disabilities at (long URL)
http://europa.eu.int/comm/information_society/eeurope/actionplan/actline2c_e
n.htm

Best regards
Francisco Godinho
Adviser of the Portuguese Minister of Science and Technology
for the National Initiative for Citizens with Special Needs in the
Information Society
http://www.acessibilidade.net/index_eng.html

Received on Friday, 23 June 2000 10:35:59 UTC