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Barrier-free television: New means for free flow of information in Europe. Ádám Kósa MEP

Barrier-free television: New means for free flow of information in Europe. Ádám Kósa MEP

2010. 10. 28.

For probably the first time in the history of the European Union, the interpretation of the conference was ensured by interpreters in a different country via a continuous internet connection between Brussels and London. Another plus of this technology was that the speeches held in English were translated into international sign language.

The purpose of the conference was to demonstrate different ways of using technological and IT innovations in order to ensure that information reaches everyone without obstacles. Therefore the programme was live webstreamed on the EP homepage, with a so-called 'picture in picture' function when two moving pictures are visualised on the screen at the same time. The parallel use of both these ideas has never been implemented in the history of the European Institutions so far.

Ádám Kósa MEP emphasised that digital technology development is making communication services easier and cheaper also for people with disabilities. "The switch to digital networks is a great opportunity to achieve barrier-free information communication, ensuring free movement in the world of communication and internet for disabled people", he said. "Information access is a basic right for everyone and technological development is not a barrier but a great support for people living with disabilities", concluded Kósa, Chairman of the Disability Intergroup.

Among other participants on the workshop were Silvia-Adriana Ticau MEP (S&D) as Co-Chair and Paul Timmers, Head of Unit, DG Information Society and Media.