56. Recalls that the Commission itself, in its Communication on a European Disability Strategy, expresses concerns as to the low availability of subtitles in television and audio-description on television in the European Union; underlines especially the fact that a pan-European campaign to ensure wider access to subtitling on television in the European Union has been conducted for several years by organisations of deaf and hard of hearing people with the support of the European Parliament; calls for more diligent implementation of the Member States' obligation under Directive 2007/65/EC to encourage broadcasters to ensure greater acces ...[+++]sibility of media services to people with hearing or visual disability; calls on the Commission to provide for specific funding possibilities for public broadcasters in order to help them introduce the framework of services of subtitles and audio-description in their programmes;

56. Recalls that the Commission itself, in its Communication on a European Disability Strategy, expresses concerns as to the low availability of subtitles in television and audio-description on television in the European Union; underlines especially the fact that a pan-European campaign to ensure wider access to subtitling on television in the European Union has been conducted for several years by organisations of deaf and hard of hearing people with the support of the European Parliament; calls for more diligent implementation of the Member States' obligation under Directive 2007/65/EC to encourage broadcasters to ensure greater acces ...[+++]sibility of media services to people with hearing or visual disability; calls on the Commission to provide for specific funding possibilities for public broadcasters in order to help them introduce the framework of services of subtitles and audio-description in their programmes;

At the same time, digital television improves access for people with special needs, such as people with impaired hearing or vision, by providing auxiliary services such as better subtitling, sound commentary and sign commentary.

34. Notes that levels of sub-titling and sign language interpretation and presentation of programmes in sign language for those with hearing difficulties, and of audiovisual description for the visually impaired, vary quite widely from Member State to Member State; recalls the Commission's commitment to the European Parliament in June 2002 to raise this issue in the present report; notes that the Commission has not done so; calls once again on the Commission to address the problem of improving access to the broadcast media for those suffering from sensory impairment; calls on the Commission, in its work programme, to include an annual benchmarking report on the progress in all Member States on making digital ...[+++]TV accessible for people with disabilities; believes that this report should be based on National Action Plans on 'Improving disabled people's access to digital TV' submitted to the Commission by each of the Member States;

It's not just the visible disabilities, it's not just me sitting in a wheelchair, it's people who are hearing impaired, even going down to someone with asthma hauling paper all over the place.

Over the years, AQEPA has managed to regroup parents of hearing-impaired children, to teach them and the other parties concerned, to promote the integration of children in the school environment, to raise funds and to increase public awareness.