European Union of the Deaf

24/08/2026

A finance company reviews its numbers after a new pay transparency law kicks in. Here's what it finds:

A 12% gender pay gap. No disclosed salary ranges. Promotions based on "performance and availability," with no clearer definition than that. No open discussion of pay anywhere in the org. And when HR gets asked why, the answer is "individual negotiation."

None of these five things are illegal on their own. Together, they're a pattern that regulators, employees, and eventually journalists tend to notice at the same time.

"Individual negotiation" is doing a lot of quiet work in that explanation. It's the phrase companies reach for when they haven't actually built a structured, transparent pay system, and don't want to say so directly.

If you swapped "individual negotiation" for a real answer at your own organisation, what would it be?

Do you want to learn more about DEI? Visit our website www.deiman4finance.eu!

24/08/2026

Italy 🇮🇹
Ente Nazionale Sordi

Italy recognised LIS in 2021 — inside a COVID-related Decree-Law, the 'Sostegni Decree'.

Decades of campaigns, petitions, sit-ins and street demonstrations led by ENS made it happen.

Both Italian Sign Language and Italian Tactile Sign Language are now recognised, promoted and safeguarded in law, and university interpreter training rules have been introduced. But recognition was the beginning — there is still no legal framework for LIS as a language of instruction and school subject.

Score: 3/8.

Recognition after decades of advocacy, a framework still to build.

EUD recommends anti-discrimination provisions, LIS in schools, emergency broadcast access, deaf culture recognition in law, and a national LIS advisory board.

Full country analysis: eud.eu/from-recognition-to-officialisation-a-new-eud-book-redefining-sign-language-rights-in-europe/

21/08/2026

Ireland 🇮🇪
Irish Deaf Society

Ireland's ISL Act mandates provision of ISL classes for families of deaf children — parents, guardians, siblings and grandparents can all receive tuition, alongside deaf children themselves.
Because language starts at home.

The framework recognises ISL as a native and independent language, with public body interpretation mandates, court access in ISL without disadvantage, and broadcaster obligations. In 2025/26, over 1,300 primary schools introduce ISL in a modern foreign language module.

Score: 5/8.

An ambitious Act — distinctly family-centred. Gaps remain around anti-discrimination provisions, deaf culture and identity recognition, ISL as a formal school subject for deaf children, and a national ISL advisory board.

Full country analysis: eud.eu/from-recognition-to-officialisation-a-new-eud-book-redefining-sign-language-rights-in-europe/

20/08/2026

Only two weeks left for cities to apply for the 2027 EU Access City Award!

This EU Commission award recognises cities that are making urban life more accessible for persons with disabilities, covering public spaces, transport, public buildings, and information and communication.

EUD is calling on cities to take that last category seriously for Deaf people: sign language interpretation, captioning on public screens and websites, visual alerts, and real consultation with local Deaf communities. Accessible communication is a right, not an optional extra.

Finalists will be celebrated at the award ceremony on 4 December 2026 in Brussels.

Prizes:
€150,000 for first place
€120,000 for second
€80,000 for third
plus a new Special Mention for services that help persons with disabilities live independently in the community.

Applications close 4 September 2026. If your city is doing this well, encourage them to apply: https://access-city-award.ec.europa.eu/

19/08/2026

Iceland 🇮🇸

Félag Heyrnarlausra

Iceland recognised Icelandic Sign Language as an official language — equal to Icelandic — in 2011.

Community: ~250 people. Size is no barrier to full language rights.

The framework delivers: discrimination based on language used is prohibited, the state must preserve, develop and promote Icelandic Sign Language, healthcare access is guaranteed, and the Icelandic Sign Language Council advises on all sign language matters.

Score: 7/8.

Two steps from a perfect score.

Gaps remain around deaf culture and identity recognition in law, and rules on access to the sign language interpreter profession.

Full country analysis: eud.eu/from-recognition-to-officialisation-a-new-eud-book-redefining-sign-language-rights-in-europe/

19/08/2026

Closing the EU's gender employment gap could add up to €3.15 trillion to the economy and create 10.5 million jobs by 2050.

That's not an advocacy talking point, it's a European Commission economic projection, and it sits alongside a harder truth: at the current pace, closing economic gender gaps globally will take another 123 years, according to the 2025 Global Gender Gap Report.

The business case and the urgency case are the same case. Companies with higher gender diversity in leadership already show 10 to 20% higher financial returns and stronger governance.

So the honest question for anyone running a finance team isn't "should we work on this." It's "why is our timeline closer to 123 years than to now."

What's one gender-equity target your team could set this quarter that isn't just a statement?

Do you want to learn more about DEI? Visit our website www.deiman4finance.eu!

17/08/2026

The first DEIMAN4FINANCE pilot has been carried out!

We are pleased to announce that IEF - Institut d'Estudis Financers and Barcelona Finance School have led the first pilot session of the DEIMAN4FINANCE project.

This milestone marks the beginning of a key phase for the project: moving from the development of learning materials to their real-life testing with participants from the financial sector.

The session allowed us to gather first-hand feedback on the training content, activities and learning experience, helping the consortium assess how the materials respond to the actual needs of professionals working towards more diverse, equitable and inclusive financial environments.

The pilot also comes at a particularly relevant moment. Published on 6 July 2026, the recent OECD - OCDE report Improving Learning Outcomes in Catalonia, Spain highlights the importance of equity and inclusion, professional capacity, evaluation and governance as key levers for improving education systems. These priorities are closely connected to the spirit of DEIMAN4FINANCE: building more inclusive, digital and future-oriented learning environments.

A warm thank you to all participants who took part in this first pilot and contributed their insights to the improvement of the project.

17/08/2026