From 17 to 18 April 2026 in Brussels, EFHOH hosted its Annual Conference “From Policy to Practice: Advancing Hard of Hearing Inclusion Across Europe”, bringing together EU institutions, civil society, industry, academia, and the hard of hearing community across Europe and beyond.
What stood out throughout the conference was a growing sense of momentum within the hard of hearing community, marked by stronger political participation, increasing youth engagement, and a shared commitment to advancing inclusion at all levels.
The strong presence of actors from the European Commission and European Parliament reflected a growing recognition of the need to address hearing loss within the EU policy agenda, marking an important step forward for EFHOH’s advocacy work.
The conference opened with a keynote speech by Inmaculada Placencia Porrero, Senior Expert in Disability and Inclusion at the European Commission (DG Justice) and member of the UNCRPD Committee, and EFHOH President Lidia Best, highlighting the EU’s role in implementing the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and setting the tone for translating EU commitments into real-life impact.
Across the two days, representatives from EU institutions, civil society, academia, and industry discussed the implementation of the EU Disability Strategy and the European Accessibility Act with a strong focus on the rights of hard of hearing people. Sessions also explored structural conditions for inclusion, from examining barriers in education and employment and the role of public systems and technologies to the importance of leadership and representation of hard of hearing people in shaping inclusive policies and decision-making environments.
A key moment was the discussion on the need for a European Strategy on Hearing Loss, bringing together EFHOH, the European Hearing Health Forum, the European Association of Hearing Aid Professionals, the Swedish Organisation of Hard of Hearing People (HRF) and industry actors such as Apple.
The event also marked the launch of EFHOH’s Hearing Loss Inclusive Employment Toolkit, providing practical guidance for employers to actively support more accessible and inclusive workplaces for hard of hearing people.
The conference concluded with a participatory workshop on the future of a European strategy on hearing loss, moderated by EFHOH, ensuring that lived experience remains central to shaping policy directions.
Overall, EFHOH Annual Conference 2026 created a shared space for policy, practice, and lived experience and successfully conveyed a clear message: meaningful inclusion cannot be achieved through policy alone — it requires collective effort and shared responsibility.
By bringing EU institutions, national authorities, industry, experts and the hard of hearing community into the same room, the conference marked an important step forward in shaping a future European Strategy on Hearing Loss.
A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event such a success.
