Let your fingers do the walking

It was high time. The European Commission has prepared a proposal to make mandatory for all member states the creation of easily accessible government web sites to facilitate the lives of their citizens. According to the Commission’s announcement key beneficiaries of this proposal would be Europe’s 80 million citizens with disabilities and the 87 million Europeans aged over 65.Websites falling under the jurisdiction of the proposed EU Directive on accessibility of public sector bodies’ websites cover the following domains: 1. Income taxes: declaration, notification of assessment, 2.Job search services by labour offices, 3. Social-security benefits: unemployment benefits, child allowances, medical costs (reimbursement or direct settlement), student grants, 4. Personal documents: passports or driving license, 5. Car registration, 6.Application for building permission, 7. Declaration to police, e.g. in case of theft, 8. Public libraries, e.g. catalogues and search tools, 9.Request and delivery of birth or marriage certificates, 10.Enrolment in higher education or university, 11.Notification of change of residence, 12. Health-related services: interactive advice on the availability of services, online services for patients, appointments. For details see: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1305_en.htm?locale=en