Activities of Elisabeth SCHROEDTER related to 2012/0340(COD)
Plenary speeches (1)
Accessibility of public sector bodies' websites (debate)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the accessibility of public sector bodies' websites
Amendments (34)
Amendment 17 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 2
Recital 2
(2) Web-accessibility refers to principles and techniques to be observed when constructing websites in order to render the content of these websites accessible to all users, in particular people with functional limitations, including persons with disabilities as well as elderly people. The content of websites includes textual as well as non-textual information, and also the downloading of forms and two-way interaction, e.g. the processing of digital forms, authentication, and transactions like case handling and payments as well as methods to protect users' data.
Amendment 18 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) The Commission's eGovernment Action Plan 2011-2015 calls for action to develop eGovernment services that ensure inclusiveness and accessibility. At the same time, more efforts are needed for the effective implementation of the e- Inclusion policy, which aims at reducing gaps in ICT usage and promoting the use of ICT to overcome exclusion.
Amendment 19 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) In its CommunicFor the Implementation of ‘A Digital Agenda for Europe’ the Commission announced that public sector websites and websites providing services of general interest to cititzens should be fully accessible by 2015.
Amendment 20 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 5
Recital 5
(5) The Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration and the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme support research on and the development of technological solutions to accessibility problems whereas within the Framework Programmes 6 and 7 the Commission has been funding research into Free/Libre and Open Source software (FOSS).
Amendment 21 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) The European Disability Strategy 2010- 2020,which aims at breaking down any barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from participating in society on an equal basis, builds on the UN Convention and contains actions in several priority areas, including web accessibility, with the objective ‘to ensure accessibility to goods and services including public services and assistive devices for people with disabilities.’
Amendment 23 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 13
Recital 13
(13) The approximation of national measures at Union level, based on an agreement on accessibility requirements for public sector bodies' websites as well as websites of bodies providing services of general interest to citizens for the public, is necessary in order to put an end to fragmentation. It would reduce uncertainty for web-developers and would foster interoperability. By using accessibility requirements which are technology neutral, innovation will not be hampered and may possibly even be stimulated.
Amendment 24 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) The web–accessibility requirements defined in this Directive are technology neutral. They only indicate which basic functionalities have to be fulfilled for the user to perceive, operate or, understand and interact with a site and its content. They do not specify how this has to be achieved or what technology should be selected for a particular site, on-line information or application. As such they do not hamper innovation and account for permanent technological and societal dynamics concerning the use of web contents, e.g. the broadening utilization of hand-held devices.
Amendment 26 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) Interoperability related to web- accessibility should be based on commonly adopted and used specifications that maximize the compatibility of the web- content with current and future user agents and assistive technologies in a variety of software environments, including FOSS. More specifically, web-content should provide user agents with a common internal encoding of natural language, structures, relations, and sequences, as well as data of any embedded user-interface components. Interoperability thus benefits the users, allowing them to employ their user agent, which can be supported by the promotion of FOSS solutions, thus benefits the users, allowing them to employ a variety of user agents and devices meeting their needs ubiquitously to access websites: they might also benefit from greater choice and reduced prices across the Union. Interoperability would also benefit the suppliers and buyers of web-accessibility related products and services.
Amendment 29 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) The Directive should aim at ensuring that certain types of public sector bodies' websites that are essential to the public are made fully accessible according to common requirements. Such types were identified in the 2001 E-government benchmarking exercise25 and have been used as a basis for the list in the Annexto persons with disabilities so that they are enabled to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life as stated in the UNCRPD. The identification of such websites should include websites providing services of general interest.
Amendment 30 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 24
Recital 24
(24) The conformity with web-accessibility requirements should be continuously monitored from the initial construction of the public sector bodies' website to all subsequent updates of its content. A harmonised monitoring methodology would cover a way of verifying, on a uniform basis in all Members States, the degree of compliance of the website with the requirements for web-accessibility, the collection of representative samples and the periodicity of the monitoring.. Member States should report annually on the outcome of the monitoring and more generally on the list of actions taken in application of this Directive. Those reports should be made available to the public.
Amendment 33 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 1
Article 1 – paragraph 1
1. This Directive aims at approximating the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States related to the accessibility of the content of public sector bodies' websites to all users, in particular people with functional limitations including persons with disabilities and elderly people.
Amendment 35 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 1 – paragraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 2
2. It lays down the rules according to which Member States shall make accessible the content of websites belonging to public sector bodies, the types of which are specified in the Annexincluding those which provide services of general interest.
Amendment 36 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 1 a (new)
Article 2 – point 1 a (new)
(1a) 'Web accessibility' means principles and techniques to be observed when constructing websites in order to render the content of these websites in such way as that all users, in particular persons with disabilities, as well as elderly persons, can fully perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with web contents.
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 2
Article 2 – point 2
(2) ‘'Content of websites’' means informationall textual and nontextual information associated with a website to be communicated to the users by means of a user agent, including code or mark-up that defines the content's structure, presentation, and interactions, as well as functions of downloading and/or uploading and processing of digital documents, forms and implemented or related methods of authentication, identification, transactions, payments, security, e.g. encryption of data transmission, protection of user data and Completely Automated Public Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA).
Amendment 40 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 2 – point 8
Article 2 – point 8
(8) ‘'Public sector body’' means the State, regional or local authorities, bodies governed by public law as defined in Article 1 (9) of Directive 2004/18/EC, and associations formed by one or several such authorities or one or several such bodies governed by public law and bodies providing services of general interest and/or general economic interest.
Amendment 47 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) in a consistent and adequate way for users’ perception, operation and understanding, including adaptability of content presentation and interaction, when necessary, providing an accessible electronic alternative;
Amendment 49 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) in a way which facilitates interoperability with a broad variety of user agents, devices and assistive technologies at Union and international level.
Amendment 50 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 3
Article 3 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 8, to specify further, where appropriate, the requirements for web- accessibility referred to in paragraph 1, which shall go in line with principles of technology neutrality and facilitate the use and development of FOSS.
Amendment 56 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 2
Article 7 – paragraph 2
2. Member States shall report annually on the outcome of the monitoring carried out according to paragraph 4 including the measurement data and, where appropriate, the list of the websites referred to in Article 1(3). Those reports shall be made available to the public.
Amendment 57 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 8 – paragraph 2
Article 8 – paragraph 2
2. The powers to adopt the delegated acts referred to in Article 3 and 5 shall be conferred for an indeterminate period of timehree years from the date of entry into force of this Directive.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
The Commission shall carry out a review of the application of this Directive within three years from its entry into force and shall make the findings of this review public.
Amendment 60 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – heading 1
Annex 1 – heading 1
Amendment 61 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 1
Annex 1 – point 1
(1) Income taxes: declaration, notification of assessmentWebsites of the authorities as defined in Article 1(9) of Directive 2004/18/EC and Article 2(1) of Directive 2004/17/EC
Amendment 62 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 2
Annex 1 – point 2
(2) Job search services by labour officesWebsites delivering services listed in Annex II to Directive 2004/18/EC
Amendment 63 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 3
Annex 1 – point 3
(3) Social-security benefits: unemployment benefits, child allowances, medical costs (reimbursement or direct settlement), student grants.Websites delivering services listed in Articles 3 to 6 of Directive 2004/17/EC
Amendment 65 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 4
Annex 1 – point 4
(4) Personal documents: passports or driving licensWebsites which are partially or fully funded by authorities referred to in point 1 above
Amendment 67 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 5
Annex 1 – point 5
Amendment 68 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 6
Annex 1 – point 6
Amendment 69 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 7
Annex 1 – point 7
Amendment 72 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 8
Annex 1 – point 8
Amendment 74 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 9
Annex 1 – point 9
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 10
Annex 1 – point 10
Amendment 77 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 11
Annex 1 – point 11
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex 1 – point 12
Annex 1 – point 12