The online training on “Accessibility of media content for people with disabilities in light of the revised European Union Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD)” for employees of Regulatory authority for electronic media, Serbia (REM), took place on 18 November 2020.

Currently, information and communication continue to be largely inaccessible for many persons with disabilities and therefore attention needs to be paid to appropriate and alternative communication modes, means and formats. This includes the need for accessible political campaigns to promote full participation in public and political life. All relevant actors, including media regulatory authorities should seek to promote debate and action on quality access to information, communications and digital environment for persons with disabilities. In line with Council of Europe recommendations, the debate should also include media and information literacy as well as inclusion and participation in shaping public policies on the information society.

The speakers and participants of this training were experts from the Council of Europe, European Disability Forum, representatives of the Radio Television of Serbia, Regulatory authority for electronic media and Ministry of Culture and information. The aim of the training was to present European standards on media regulation in this field, but also to discuss existing regulation and practices in Serbia, as well as the opportunities for improvement and harmonisation of regulatory frameworks and practices with European standards.

The event was organised in co-operation with the Regulatory authority for electronic media, under the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022", and its action on "Freedom of expression and freedom of the media in Serbia (JUFREX)".