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2016/2952(RSP) Resolution on sign languages and professional sign language interpreters

Progress: Procedure completed

Legal Basis:
RoP 132-p2

Events

2017/03/22
   EC - Commission response to text adopted in plenary
Documents
SP(2017)148
2016/11/23
   EP - Results of vote in Parliament
Documents
Results of vote in Parliament
2016/11/23
   EP - Decision by Parliament
Details

The European Parliament adopted by 661 votes to 6, with 23 abstentions, a resolution on sign languages and professional sign language interpreters.

The text adopted was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, Greens/EFA and EFDD groups.

Members recalled that as full citizens, all persons with disabilities, including deaf and hard-of-hearing people, including those who use sign language and those who do not, have equal rights and are entitled to inalienable dignity, equal treatment, independent living, autonomy and full participation in society.

The TFEU requires the Union to combat discrimination based on disability when defining and implementing its policies and activities.

There are approximately one million deaf sign language users in the EU1 and 51 million hard-of-hearing citizens, many of whom are also sign language users.

It is against this background that this resolution is adopted. It stressed the need for qualified and professional sign language interpreters, which can only be met on the basis of the following approach:

official recognition of national and regional sign language(s) in Member States and within EU institutions, formal training (university or similar, equivalent to 3 years of full-time studies, corresponding to the training required of spoken language interpreters), registration (official accreditation and quality control system, such as continuing professional development), formal recognition of the profession.

Aware that disproportionality or undue burden cannot be claimed to defend the failure to provide accessibility, Members considered that the provision of sign language interpretation may constitute an accessibility measure or a reasonable accommodation measure , depending on the situation.

Accessibility : Members reiterated their commitment to making the political process as accessible as possible, including through the provision of professional sign language interpreters and recognised the importance of minimum standards to ensure accessibility, especially in view of new and emerging technologies, such as the provision of internet-based sign language interpreting and subtitling services.

Members are aware of the importance of accurate and precise interpretation and translation services and stressed the need for specialised and highly qualified professional sign language interpreters.

Employment, education and training : Members noted that reasonable accommodation measures, which include the provision of professional sign language interpreters, must be taken to ensure equal access to employment, education and training. They emphasised that deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing students and their parents must be provided with the opportunity to learn the national or regional sign language of their environment through pre-school services and in schools.

It is also necessary to:

include sign language in educational curricula in order to raise awareness and increase the use of sign language; take measures to recognise and promote the linguistic identity of deaf communities; encourage the learning of sign language in the same way as foreign languages.

Parliament urged that the principle of freedom of movement for deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing people within the EU be guaranteed, especially in the context of Erasmus+ and related mobility programmes.

European Union institutions : Members recognised that the EU institutions must represent best practice examples for their staff, elected officials and interns and vis-à-vis EU citizens regarding the provision of reasonable accommodation and accessibility, which includes the provision of sign language interpretation. While recognising that the EU institutions have a system in place to provide sign language interpretation via their respective interpreting departments for accessibility purposes, Members urged the institutions to utilise such existing systems also when providing reasonable accommodation for staff and/or elected officials, effectively minimising the administrative burden on the individual and the institutions.

Lastly, Parliament strongly urged Parliament’s visitors’ service to cater for the needs of deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing visitors by directly providing access in a national or regional sign language and speech-to-text services.

Documents
T8-0442/2016
2016/11/23
   EP - End of procedure in Parliament
2016/11/22
   EP - Debate in Parliament
Documents
Debate in Parliament
2016/11/16
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B8-1230/2016
2016/11/16
   EP - Motion for a resolution
Documents
B8-1241/2016

Documents

Activities

Votes

B8-1230/2016 - Résolution #

2016/11/23 Outcome: +: 661, 0: 23, -: 6
DE IT FR ES PL GB RO BE PT NL EL HU CZ SE AT BG SK FI HR LT DK IE SI LV EE MT CY LU
Total
88
67
66
51
50
59
32
21
20
25
19
19
19
19
18
15
13
12
11
10
11
9
8
6
6
6
5
4
icon: PPE PPE
202

Germany PPE

33

Italy PPE

14

France PPE

19

Spain PPE

16

Poland PPE

22

Romania PPE

12

Belgium PPE

4

Portugal PPE

6

Netherlands PPE

5

Greece PPE

4

Hungary PPE

11

Czechia PPE

6

Sweden PPE

4

Austria PPE

5

Bulgaria PPE

6

Slovakia PPE

6

Finland PPE

2

Croatia PPE

5

Lithuania PPE

2

Denmark PPE

For (1)

Bendt BENDTSEN
1

Ireland PPE

4

Slovenia PPE

5

Latvia PPE

3

Estonia PPE

For (1)

Tunne KELAM
1

Malta PPE

3

Cyprus PPE

1

Luxembourg PPE

2
icon: S&D S&D
178

Germany S&D

22

Italy S&D

26

France S&D

13

Spain S&D

13

Poland S&D

5

United Kingdom S&D

19

Romania S&D

15

Belgium S&D

4

Portugal S&D

8

Netherlands S&D

3

Greece S&D

4

Hungary S&D

4

Czechia S&D

4

Sweden S&D

6

Austria S&D

5

Bulgaria S&D

4

Slovakia S&D

4

Finland S&D

2

Croatia S&D

2

Lithuania S&D

2

Denmark S&D

3

Ireland S&D

For (1)

Nessa CHILDERS
1

Slovenia S&D

For (1)

Tanja FAJON
1

Latvia S&D

1

Estonia S&D

For (1)

Marju LAURISTIN
1

Malta S&D

3

Cyprus S&D

2

Luxembourg S&D

For (1)

Mady DELVAUX
1
icon: ECR ECR
67

Germany ECR

6

Italy ECR

2

Poland ECR

19

United Kingdom ECR

19

Romania ECR

For (1)

Monica MACOVEI
1

Belgium ECR

4

Netherlands ECR

2

Greece ECR

For (1)

Notis MARIAS
1

Czechia ECR

2

Bulgaria ECR

1

Slovakia ECR

3

Finland ECR

2

Croatia ECR

For (1)

Ruža TOMAŠIĆ
1

Lithuania ECR

1

Denmark ECR

3
icon: ALDE ALDE
64

Germany ALDE

3

France ALDE

6

Spain ALDE

7

United Kingdom ALDE

1

Romania ALDE

3

Belgium ALDE

6

Portugal ALDE

2

Netherlands ALDE

7

Czechia ALDE

4

Sweden ALDE

2

Austria ALDE

For (1)

Angelika MLINAR
1

Bulgaria ALDE

4

Finland ALDE

4

Croatia ALDE

2

Lithuania ALDE

3

Denmark ALDE

For (1)

Morten PETERSEN

Abstain (1)

Morten LØKKEGAARD
2

Ireland ALDE

For (1)

Marian HARKIN
1

Slovenia ALDE

For (1)

Ivo VAJGL
1

Latvia ALDE

1

Estonia ALDE

3

Luxembourg ALDE

For (1)

Charles GOERENS
1
icon: GUE/NGL GUE/NGL
48

Germany GUE/NGL

7

Italy GUE/NGL

3

France GUE/NGL

3

Spain GUE/NGL

11

United Kingdom GUE/NGL

1

Portugal GUE/NGL

4

Netherlands GUE/NGL

3

Greece GUE/NGL

6

Czechia GUE/NGL

2

Sweden GUE/NGL

For (1)

Malin BJÖRK
1

Finland GUE/NGL

For (1)

Merja KYLLÖNEN
1

Denmark GUE/NGL

For (1)

Rina Ronja KARI
1

Ireland GUE/NGL

3

Cyprus GUE/NGL

2
icon: Verts/ALE Verts/ALE
46

Germany Verts/ALE

13

France Verts/ALE

5

Spain Verts/ALE

4

United Kingdom Verts/ALE

4

Belgium Verts/ALE

2

Netherlands Verts/ALE

2

Hungary Verts/ALE

2

Sweden Verts/ALE

4

Austria Verts/ALE

3

Finland Verts/ALE

For (1)

Heidi HAUTALA
1

Croatia Verts/ALE

For (1)

Davor ŠKRLEC
1

Lithuania Verts/ALE

For (1)

Bronis ROPĖ
1

Denmark Verts/ALE

For (1)

Margrete AUKEN
1

Slovenia Verts/ALE

For (1)

Igor ŠOLTES
1

Latvia Verts/ALE

1

Estonia Verts/ALE

For (1)

Indrek TARAND
1
icon: ENF ENF
35

Germany ENF

Against (1)

Marcus PRETZELL
1

Italy ENF

5

France ENF

17

Poland ENF

2

United Kingdom ENF

Abstain (1)

Janice ATKINSON
1

Romania ENF

1

Belgium ENF

For (1)

Gerolf ANNEMANS
1

Netherlands ENF

3

Austria ENF

Against (1)

Harald VILIMSKY
4
icon: EFDD EFDD
36

Germany EFDD

Abstain (1)

Beatrix von STORCH
1

Italy EFDD

17

France EFDD

1

Poland EFDD

1

United Kingdom EFDD

12

Czechia EFDD

Abstain (1)

Petr MACH
1

Sweden EFDD

2

Lithuania EFDD

For (1)

Rolandas PAKSAS
1
icon: NI NI
13

Germany NI

2

France NI

2

Poland NI

Abstain (1)

Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE
1

United Kingdom NI

2

Greece NI

4

Hungary NI

2

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)

2021-12-18Show (5) Changes | Timetravel
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2016-1230_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2016-1230_EN.html
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2016-1241_EN.html
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2016-1241_EN.html
events/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20161122&type=CRE
New
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/CRE-8-2016-11-22-TOC_EN.html
events/2
date
2016-11-23T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament
body
EP
docs
url: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0442_EN.html title: T8-0442/2016
summary
events/2
date
2016-11-23T00:00:00
type
Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
body
EP
docs
url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0442_EN.html title: T8-0442/2016
summary
2020-01-19Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
docs/0/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2016-1230&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2016-1230_EN.html
docs/1/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2016-1241&language=EN
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2016-1241_EN.html
docs/2/body
EC
events/2/docs/0/url
Old
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0442
New
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-8-2016-0442_EN.html
2019-07-06Show (11) Changes | Timetravel
activities
  • date: 2016-11-22T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20161122&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament body: EP type: Debate in Parliament
  • date: 2016-11-23T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0442 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0442/2016 body: EP type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
committees
    docs
    • date: 2016-11-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2016-1230&language=EN title: B8-1230/2016 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2016-11-16T00:00:00 docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=MOTION&reference=B8-2016-1241&language=EN title: B8-1241/2016 type: Motion for a resolution body: EP
    • date: 2017-03-22T00:00:00 docs: url: /oeil/spdoc.do?i=27855&j=0&l=en title: SP(2017)148 type: Commission response to text adopted in plenary
    events
    • date: 2016-11-22T00:00:00 type: Debate in Parliament body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20161122&type=CRE title: Debate in Parliament
    • date: 2016-11-23T00:00:00 type: Results of vote in Parliament body: EP docs: url: https://oeil.secure.europarl.europa.eu/oeil/popups/sda.do?id=27855&l=en title: Results of vote in Parliament
    • date: 2016-11-23T00:00:00 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading body: EP docs: url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0442 title: T8-0442/2016 summary: The European Parliament adopted by 661 votes to 6, with 23 abstentions, a resolution on sign languages and professional sign language interpreters. The text adopted was tabled by the EPP, S&D, ECR, ALDE, Greens/EFA and EFDD groups. Members recalled that as full citizens, all persons with disabilities, including deaf and hard-of-hearing people, including those who use sign language and those who do not, have equal rights and are entitled to inalienable dignity, equal treatment, independent living, autonomy and full participation in society. The TFEU requires the Union to combat discrimination based on disability when defining and implementing its policies and activities. There are approximately one million deaf sign language users in the EU1 and 51 million hard-of-hearing citizens, many of whom are also sign language users. It is against this background that this resolution is adopted. It stressed the need for qualified and professional sign language interpreters, which can only be met on the basis of the following approach: official recognition of national and regional sign language(s) in Member States and within EU institutions, formal training (university or similar, equivalent to 3 years of full-time studies, corresponding to the training required of spoken language interpreters), registration (official accreditation and quality control system, such as continuing professional development), formal recognition of the profession. Aware that disproportionality or undue burden cannot be claimed to defend the failure to provide accessibility, Members considered that the provision of sign language interpretation may constitute an accessibility measure or a reasonable accommodation measure , depending on the situation. Accessibility : Members reiterated their commitment to making the political process as accessible as possible, including through the provision of professional sign language interpreters and recognised the importance of minimum standards to ensure accessibility, especially in view of new and emerging technologies, such as the provision of internet-based sign language interpreting and subtitling services. Members are aware of the importance of accurate and precise interpretation and translation services and stressed the need for specialised and highly qualified professional sign language interpreters. Employment, education and training : Members noted that reasonable accommodation measures, which include the provision of professional sign language interpreters, must be taken to ensure equal access to employment, education and training. They emphasised that deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing students and their parents must be provided with the opportunity to learn the national or regional sign language of their environment through pre-school services and in schools. It is also necessary to: include sign language in educational curricula in order to raise awareness and increase the use of sign language; take measures to recognise and promote the linguistic identity of deaf communities; encourage the learning of sign language in the same way as foreign languages. Parliament urged that the principle of freedom of movement for deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing people within the EU be guaranteed, especially in the context of Erasmus+ and related mobility programmes. European Union institutions : Members recognised that the EU institutions must represent best practice examples for their staff, elected officials and interns and vis-à-vis EU citizens regarding the provision of reasonable accommodation and accessibility, which includes the provision of sign language interpretation. While recognising that the EU institutions have a system in place to provide sign language interpretation via their respective interpreting departments for accessibility purposes, Members urged the institutions to utilise such existing systems also when providing reasonable accommodation for staff and/or elected officials, effectively minimising the administrative burden on the individual and the institutions. Lastly, Parliament strongly urged Parliament’s visitors’ service to cater for the needs of deaf, deafblind and hard-of-hearing visitors by directly providing access in a national or regional sign language and speech-to-text services.
    • date: 2016-11-23T00:00:00 type: End of procedure in Parliament body: EP
    links
    other
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure EP 132-p2
      procedure/legal_basis/0
      Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
      procedure/subject
      Old
      • 4.10.06 People with disabilities
      • 4.10.08 Equal treatment between persons, non-discrimination
      New
      4.10.06
      People with disabilities
      4.10.08
      Equal treatment of persons, non-discrimination
      4.40.15
      Vocational education and training
      procedure/subtype
      Old
      Resolution on statements
      New
      Resolution on statement
      procedure/title
      Old
      Sign language and professional sign language interpreters
      New
      Resolution on sign languages and professional sign language interpreters
      2016-11-26Show (4) Changes | Timetravel
      activities/0
      date
      2016-11-22T00:00:00
      docs
      url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?secondRef=TOC&language=EN&reference=20161122&type=CRE type: Debate in Parliament title: Debate in Parliament
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      • url: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=TA&language=EN&reference=P8-TA-2016-0442 type: Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading title: T8-0442/2016
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      Old
      Vote in plenary scheduled
      New
      Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
      procedure/stage_reached
      Old
      Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
      New
      Procedure completed
      2016-11-24Show (1) Changes | Timetravel
      activities/0
      date
      2016-11-22T00:00:00
      body
      EP
      type
      Debate in plenary scheduled
      2016-11-03Show (5) Changes
      activities
      • date: 2016-11-22T00:00:00 body: EP type: Debate in plenary scheduled
      • date: 2016-11-23T00:00:00 body: EP type: Vote in plenary scheduled
      committees
        links
        other
          procedure
          reference
          2016/2952(RSP)
          title
          Sign language and professional sign language interpreters
          legal_basis
          Rules of Procedure of the European Parliament EP 123-p2
          stage_reached
          Awaiting Parliament 1st reading / single reading / budget 1st stage
          subtype
          Resolution on statements
          type
          RSP - Resolutions on topical subjects
          subject
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