Europe’s Blind Spot (Special Reports)

Special reports written by EurActiv in October 2013.

Europe needs a unified definition of blindness to help tackle the condition that costs billions of euros in treatment and loss of economic activity, much of which could be saved, according to a study for the European Forum Against Blindness (EFAB), conducted across six countries.
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The statistics show that blind and partially sighted are the disability group with the lowest employment rate but the biggest obstacle for visually impaired jobseekers is not their disability, experts say.
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A UN Treaty signed by the EU in June 2013 will make it easier for blind and partially sighted people to share audio and Braille books across countries, a move which experts believe could boost the educational level of the disability group.
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The EU is trailing behind the US on online accessibility laws that make it easier for the visually impaired to access the internet or use a smartphone.
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Citizens of Central and Eastern Europe are three times as likely to suffer from blindness or severe visual impairment than the rest of Europe, where the risk has been falling gradually, new data reveals.

• Primary Source

EurActiv, 07.10.13: Single EU definition of blindness could help save billions of euros: study http://www.euractiv.com/health/call-european-definition-blindne-news-530883

EurActiv, 08.10.13: Workplace prejudice keeps blind people out of employment http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-europe-blind-spot/workplace-prejudice-keeps-blind-news-530904

EurActiv, 0910.13: Books without borders give blind new opportunities http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-europe-blind-spot/books-borders-give-new-opportuni-news-530929

EurActiv, 10.10.13: US trumps EU on blind-friendly high-tech consumer products http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-europe-blind-spot/new-high-tech-consumer-products-news-530961

EurActiv, 11.10.13: South and east left behind as EU eyecare improves http://www.euractiv.com/specialreport-europe-blind-spot/eye-care-improves-eu-great-gaps-news-531003

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