European Parliament - Written Declaration

12 January 2004

by Richard Howitt, Mario Mantovani, Elizabeth Lynne, Patricia McKenna and Ilda Figueiredo

on the rights of deafblind people

Expiry date: 12 April 2004

The European Parliament,

1. whereas deafblindness is a distinct disability that is a combination of both sight and hearing impairments, which results in difficulties having access to information, communication and mobility,
2. whereas there are about 150,000 people in the European Union who are deafblind,
3. whereas some of these people are completely deaf and blind, but most have some remaining use of one or both senses,
4. whereas, having a distinct disability, deafblind people need specific support provided by people with specialist knowledge,

1. Calls on the institutions of the European Union and the Member States to recognise and implement the rights of people who are deafblind;
2. Declares that deafblind people should have the same rights as are enjoyed by all EU citizens; these should be enforced by appropriate legislation in each Member State and should include:

   -	the right to participate in the democratic life of the European Union;
   -	the right to work and access training, with appropriate lighting, contrast and adaptations;
   -	the right to person-centred health and social care;
   -	the right to lifelong learning;
   -	the right to receive one-to-one support where appropriate from communicator-guides, deafblind interpreters and/or intervenors;

3. Instructs its President to forward this declaration to the Commission, the Council, and the governments of the Member States.