European Blind Union

08/10/2026

Over 30 million people in geographical Europe are blind or partially sighted. Furthermore, it is estimated that an average of 1 in 30 Europeans experience .

In spite of advances in legislation, technology and research, there are still many barriers to be removed so eyecare services can be conceived in an accessible way for us.

On , EBU emphasises the role of our National Members in advocating for change in this area, thus protecting the interests of persons with visual impairment in their countries.

07/10/2026

On October 1st, representatives from EBU and the Eye Association Netherlands (Oogvereniging-OVN) met at OVN’s premises in Utrecht to strengthen cooperation between both organisations.

The aim of such joined efforts at the Dutch and the European level is to advance the rights of blind and partially sighted citizens in their daily lives.

We thank OVN for hosting us and look forward to our further cooperation.

🤗 Hartelijk dank!

06/10/2026

We must all work to keep Louis Braille’s legacy alive.

📣 And international recognition would help it live on forever.

On the new episode of “EBU in Action”, we explore France and Germany’s joint nomination for to be recognised as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.

🎙️ Tune in on your favourite podcast platform and learn more about the importance of braille in our daily lives.

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/4s7axfcv
Podbean: https://tinyurl.com/2zsdvw6y
Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/4dtz3ebm

Episode's transcript available on our website: https://tinyurl.com/bp6xfxrt

05/10/2026

📢 Sharing knowledge undoubtedly fosters more across Europe.

Last week, representatives of our Spanish Member, ONCE, visited representatives of our Italian Member, Uici Presidenza Nazionale, in Milan and Bologna, as well as UICI's headquarters in Rome, as part of our Annual Members' Bilateral Visits.

During a four-day visit, our Spanish colleagues had the chance to learn more about UICI's work in areas such as access to education, culture and employment, as well as youth empowerment.

EBU is always happy to see its members exchanging good practices to help and people lead more autonomous and independent lives.

🤗 Grazie mille, amici.

02/10/2026

🎂 Anniversaries are good occasions to reflect on social achievements and milestones.

From 22 to 24 September, EBU attended the Romanian Association of the Blind (Asociatia Nevazatorilor din Romania) General Assembly, an event marked by the organisation's anniversary celebrations.

One of the oldest and most influential organisations of blind and partially sighted people in Eastern Europe, attendants got to learn more about the association's extensive cultural activities, including braille publishing, audio-book production, literary competitions and initiatives promoting equal access to information and culture.

Furthermore, the event served as a forum to discuss priorities, review activities and shape the future direction of the organisation through elections of its board.

💻 For more information, read the full recap available on our website: https://tinyurl.com/4fewvrs

30/09/2026

📖 More accessible publishing formats means more enjoyable reading experiences.

Today, EBU co-organised an event with the consortium about ensuring that is embedded in the different stages of publishers' work.

1️⃣0️⃣ On a day marked by the tenth anniversary of the entry into force of the , speakers underlined the achieved milestones, such as the number of accessible books available, while calling for further progress, bearing in mind the feedback from persons with print disabilities.

Our President, Tytti Matsinen, and our First Vice President, Bárbara Martín Muñoz, underscored the Treaty's transformative power by giving people with visual impairment access to works such as musical scores, scientific books and others.

Furthermore, the event served as a good discussion point regarding the implementation of good practices in the development of ICTs and improving the user experience, as well as the Treaty's complementariety with the European Accessibility Act.

29/09/2026

With digitalisation quickly changing reading formats, the publishing sector should comply with requirements to ensure access to books.

Tomorrow, the consortium and EBU will jointly address this subject through a workshop in Brussels.

The event will go deep into the legal and technical aspects to be followed by publishers. This will also be a good opportunity to learn more about the main challenges when producing digital reading content and good practices in this domain.

🕘 09:00-13:30 CEST
💻 Hybrid.

Share your expertise in making new reading formats accessible by completing the following registration form: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhz5bb

For more information about the event: https://tinyurl.com/mphtwhc8

28/09/2026

Embedding is essential to ensure access to information for visually impaired people.

📢 And by amplifying their voices, we can unlock the power of .

From 30th September, our podcast "EBU in Action" will be available on Double Tap 24/7 - a platform bringing together different podcasts worldwide focusing on visual impairment.

🎙️ Tune in to Double Tap 24/7 and learn more about EBU's latest work to promote the rights of blind and partially sighted people in Europe: https://tinyurl.com/3mejx76c

25/09/2026

🎼 Music has the power to lead us towards a more inclusive society.

Bella Music Foundation Inc. is organising its 2026 International Music Competition for and classical and jazz musicians.

📆 Are you interested in participating? Submit your application by 1 October.

Find more information via the link below.

Bella Music Foundation is pleased to announce the 2026 BMF International Music Competition for Blind and Visually Impaired Musicians, open to classical and jazz musicians from around the world....

23/09/2026

must be at the core of innovation.

Through its Techies' interviews, EBU explores different innovative solutions to help people lead more autonomous and independent lives.

From creating accessible gaming experiences to designing image-describing software, our organisation also goes deeper into subjects such as access to information or personal mobility.

🎥 Visit our YouTube channel and navigate through the insights of inclusive innovation: https://tinyurl.com/42be5kdw