Invitation to tender: Telecommunications Terminals for Users with Disabilities
The European Commission, DG XIII, has published an open invitation to tender for the completion of a study entitled "Costs and benefits in connection with telecommunications terminals for users with disabilities". The study will investigate ways to provide telecommunications terminal equipment for users with disabilities, at the European level. The objective of the study is to compare a number of alternative regulatory scenarios and assess their costs and benefits. Four possible scenarios should be compared: - Regulate all terminals with applicable features; - Regulate certain types of terminals with applicable features; - Regulate special terminals; - Promote voluntary standards rather than regulate. There is a need for urgent action to harmonize terminal regulations for users with disabilities throughout the EU. However, the actions must be proportionate to the costs and benefits involved. Therefore, the basic objective of this study is to assess the costs and benefits of each of the above-mentioned scenarios, in order to clarify the issues and to make recommendations concerning the actions to be taken. The terms of reference for the studies may be requested, in writing (faxes must be confirmed by letter posted before the deadline indicated), from: European Commission DG XIII - Telecommunications, Information Market and Exploitation of Research Ms. Alison Birkett 200 rue de la Loi (BU31 3/58) B-1049 Brussels Tel. +32-2-2968942; Fax +32-2-2968393 Completed proposals should be sent to the same address.