Making digital transport and communication services accessible

The focus of this action programme is to ensure that common digital services are suitable for as many people as possible. A further focus is the availability of information concerned with physical accessibility and communicating it to service providers. The programme covers the digital services of both transport and communications and is primarily aimed at the administrative branch of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Promoting digitality is one of main objectives of the Government Programme. In the future, new digital services should make daily life easier for as many people as possible, regardless of their physical disabilities, and should not increase social exclusion. The programme meets the challenge of the ageing and internationalisation of the population. It is apt to promote the realisation of the obligations of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the national Non-discrimination Act as well as the basic rights laid down in the Constitution of Finland, such as equality and freedom of expression. The action programme aims at the implementation of the Design for All (DFA) principle and mainstreaming in the administrative branch of transport and communications, prevention of social exclusion in transport and communications services as well as the promotion of multi-channel services and technology neutrality. The measures implemented in the programme include; 1. Taking accessibility into account in the everyday work of the administrative branch of transport and communications; 2. Clarifying legislation and updating guidelines; 3. Improving the definition and availability of accessibility information and increasing awareness among providers of mobility services; 4. Making daily life easier for those not yet able to use e-services who are at risk of social exclusion and 5. Targeting the research of agencies at promoting the ease of use and accessibility of e-services and new media services as well as developing new, increasingly accessible services and experimentation with the help of the Internet of Things and robotisation