WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2598/97 by David HALLAM to the Commission. Availability of European Commission documents in braille and audiotape format
11. 3. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 76/129 The development of an Erasmus apprenticeship schemeí, the development of educational software, and the networking of schools are new areas to be worked. Generally speaking, encouraging creativity and the skills needed to integrate into active life in a changing world is the focal point of concerns relating to the follow-up to education, training, youth and research programmes. (1) COM(95) 590. (2) COM(97) 256. (98/C 76/245) WRITTEN QUESTION E-2598/97 by David Hallam (PSE) to the Commission (1 September 1997) Subject: Availability of European Commission documents in braille and audiotape format Further to the Commissionís answer (dated 6 February 1997) to my Question E-4117/96 (1) on the availability of the Helios II Guide to Good Practice, will it indicate what the estimated cost would be of specially adapted computer equipment so that people would have access to Helios II information by braille or audiotape? Will the Commission indicate whether it plans to make all its documentation intended for giving guidance to the public available in CD-ROM format or other formats facilitating the use of braille or audiotape? Will the Commission outline the steps taken to consult public bodies which serve the visually-impaired community so as to ascertain how the European Unionís accessibility and service in this respect may be improved? Can the Commission indicate whether any funding is earmarked for the translation of EU or other documents into braille or onto audiotape and whether the Commission is likely to issue any calls for tender for such work? Will the Commission indicate whether Leonardo and ESF programme information is available in braille and audiovisual format? (1) OJ C 138, 5. 5. 1997, p. 178. Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (10 September 1997) The Commission has no information concerning the estimated cost of adapting computer equipment to enable people to access Helios II information by braille or audio tape. However, given that this information is available on diskette, it should already be accessible to most existing personal computer (PC) users. The demands already being made on the Commission’s resources make it unlikely that all official documents will be made available in CD ROM format. However, it is the intention of the Commission to publish on CD ROM the conclusions of the Helios II programme so as to provide all interested parties with the results of that programme. The Commission is in contact with representatives of the visually impaired community and is always ready to hear any representations they might like to make concerning the accessibility and service of the Community in this respect. There is no specific funding for the translation of Community documents into braille or onto audio-tape. However, such translations have taken place in the past for specific documents. It should be borne in mind in this regard that technological advances, e. g. diskettes, mean that visually impaired people can access Community information either via their own PCs or those of their associations. Information on Leonardo and the European social fund (ESF) is not available in braille format although certain information on both is available via the Internet. Nevertheless, within the Leonardo da Vinci programme there has been financed a project for Training for teaching languages for vocational purposes for the visually impairedí. The detailed project description is being sent direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parlimaentís secretariat