Updated ANEC Policy Statement on Design for All

In 2003, the European Year of People with Disabilities, ANEC issued a Policy Statement on Design for All which urged implementation of CEN/CENELEC
Guide 6 “Guidelines for standard developers to address the needs of older persons and persons with disabilities” in the drafting of European Standards.

ANEC believed the implementation of Guide 6 would serve as a yardstick for measuring the extent to which modern standards meet the needs of European consumers and citizens

In 2006, no more than 3 of the 275 active CEN Technical Committees reported that Guide 6 was used in their standards development work.

In 2007, European Year of Equal Opportunities for All, has seen the European Commission sign and commit to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Noting the very low use of Guide 6, ANEC believes that Technical Committees should now be required to take into account the needs of older people and people with disabilities in the development of European Standards.

ANEC asks the European Standards Bodies and the European Commission to take an initiative aimed at providing Technical Committees with the specialist knowledge needed to meet the requirements of older and disabled people.

ANEC believes a dedicated expert should be engaged to advice on needs of older and disabled people in the development of European Standards along
the lines of the well-established model of the CEN/CENELEC Consultant.

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