Mallorca: clearer public information rules arrive
Mallorca comes under new nationwide rules requiring public information to be easier to understand, from public services to transport and health care. Spain’s Council of Ministers approved the regulation on Tuesday, 1 September. It is the country’s first set of basic standards for cognitive accessibility.
Cognitive accessibility means being able to understand information, communicate, find the way around a setting and carry out activities without discrimination. The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and 2030 Agenda said the rules are intended to let people with comprehension difficulties exercise their rights and duties on equal terms.
Clear words and accessible formats
Information and communication must be easy to understand and available in accessible formats. The regulation names plain language, easy-read material, alternative and assistive communication systems, sound, pictograms, visual aids and technological resources.
These formats must be provided without extra cost or delay. The rules cover people with intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injury, autism, mental health problems or cerebral palsy, as well as older people with cognitive decline, people who cannot read or write sufficiently, and migrants who do not speak Spain’s languages.
From official paperwork to elections
The regulation applies to telecommunications, public spaces, infrastructure, buildings, transport and services open to the public, including health services. It also covers dealings with public authorities and the justice system, public participation and elections, cultural and historic heritage, and work.
Specific duties will be set for each area. The Spanish Centre for Cognitive Accessibility is preparing guidance for public bodies and private organisations, while also working on more accessible procedures for tax returns, the minimum income benefit, national identity cards and migrant regularisation.
Topics: Migration · Culture · Politics
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com