On 9 June 2026, EFHOH President Lidia Best spoke at the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) “External Workshop on the Accessibility of Electronic Communications Services”, bringing the perspectives of hard of hearing people to discussions with national telecommunications regulators, policymakers, industry representatives, and civil society organisations from across Europe.
Together with the European Union of the Deaf (EUD), EFHOH presented preliminary findings from a joint survey mapping relay services across Europe. The survey aims to provide an overview of the availability, accessibility, and key characteristics of relay services in different countries, while identifying both good practices and remaining gaps.
The preliminary findings show that text relay services are still not fully available across Europe. Significant barriers remain, particularly regarding cross-border access, waiting times, and access to emergency communications. The results also highlight considerable differences between countries in the availability and functioning of relay services, underlining the need for greater consistency and accessibility across Europe.
The workshop provided an important opportunity to bring these issues to the attention of European regulators and stakeholders at a time when discussions on the future Digital Networks Act are gaining momentum.
For hard of hearing people, accessible electronic communications services are essential for everyday communication, access to information, safety, independence, and full participation in society. As the EU develops its future telecommunications framework, EFHOH will continue advocating for reliable, available, and accessible relay services that leave no one behind.
EFHOH looks forward to continuing this work together with EUD, policymakers, regulators, and other stakeholders to strengthen accessible communication across Europe.
