Download "Accessibility measures as implemented by AVMS providers for persons with disabilities" here

How can European law ensure the best possible access for people with a disability to films, series and TV programmes?

The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) is the European legal text which obliges all providers of media content to make their programmes accessible to people with disabilities, such as hearing or visual impairments.

This new report - Accessibility measures as implemented by AVMS providers for persons with disabilities - by the European Audiovisual Observatory examines the provisions in European and national law and looks at the different solutions found and implemented by the various service providers established in the EU member states. The study has been co-financed by the European Commission under Creative Europe.

Following the executive summary and methodology note, chapter three provides a comprehensive overview of the state of play in the EU regarding the implementation of accessibility measures under Article 7 AVMSD (2018). The level of transposition across Europe varies greatly from country to country, ranging from literal transposition to more expansive regulation, going far beyond. This chapter defines the various measures currently in practice and examines their implementation in different EU member states. The authors also examine how the different measures have been further developed by the national regulatory authorities, often in collaboration with the AV media service providers themselves, such as VOD platforms, for example. The chapter concludes with very practical information concerning accessibility measures: the reporting obligations concerning these measures to the various NRAs are explained, the definition of a point of contact for consumers with disabilities is outlined, and the report even looks at the rules for disseminating emergency information (such as natural disasters etc.).

Chapter four delivers detailed country summaries for the 27 EU member states. For each country the authors detail their key findings as well as looking at the legal framework and an overview of national rules. They round off with practical examples of how each country and their audiovisual media service providers apply these rules to the benefit of persons with disabilities. 

This report is completed by seven very useful country by country tables which summarize in tabular form the various findings of this report.

The information has been gathered through a network of national experts and analysed and structured by the Observatory team with the coordinating expert Abigail Rekas, University of Galway.

A must -read round up of the rules in today's Europe which aim at improving accessibility to films, series and programmes for persons with disabilities.