MEPs this month took up the concerns of disadvantaged people such as the deaf and the blind in adopting a resolution which calls on the Commission to take action to improve access for deaf people to a wide range of services. For example, Parliament wants to improve TV information provision through broadcasting more news programmes with subtitles. The EU has already allocated some €500,000 to promote major Europe-wide sign language projects. At present, only four EU member states officially recognise sign language.
In another move to take account of blind people during the introduction of monetary union, MEPs approved a proposal to modify the design of the new 50 cent and 10 cent coins so that they could easily be recognised by blind people. The interests of disabled people were also taken into consideration when Parliament amended new proposals on the technical specifications for buses to include provision for wheelchair access.