The Accessible Environment Construction Law will be implemented in September, and multiple depart……

Beijing, August 23 (Xinhua) (Xie Yanbing, Sun Min) The Accessible Environment Construction Law will be implemented from September 1, 2023. Recently, the General Office of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress held a collective interview activity on the Accessible Environment Construction Law, where relevant leaders from multiple departments introduced how to implement the law and promote the construction of an accessible environment with love and without obstacles.

How will the country encourage enterprises to provide accessible format versions of labels and manuals?

According to the Law on Accessible Environment Construction, relevant departments of the State Council should improve the management standards for drug labels and instructions, requiring drug manufacturers and operators to provide accessible formats such as voice, large text, Braille, and electronic versions of labels and instructions. The state encourages producers and operators of other goods to provide labels and instructions in accessible formats such as voice, large text, Braille, and electronic, for the convenience of recognition and use by people with disabilities and the elderly.

In response to the actual operation situation, Shi Hong, Director of the Social Law Office of the Legal Working Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, stated that if the manual is relatively long and the full text in large print is difficult to operate, an electronic version can be provided to obtain it through scanning, which maximally solves the problem of inconvenient reading of drug manuals for groups such as the elderly and disabled.

We also stipulate encouraging requirements for producers and operators of other goods, encouraging them to provide similar accessible format versions. "Shi Hong said that the scope of" other goods "is very wide, and all goods except drugs are within this scope, such as food and health products related to the lives of people with disabilities and the elderly.

How will the country encourage enterprises to provide accessible format versions of labels and manuals? Shi Hong introduced that Chapter 5 "Safeguard Measures" of the Accessible Environment Construction Law has made provisions to encourage enterprises or individuals to provide accessible versions through different methods and perspectives.

For example, one is for the country to establish a sound standard system, hoping that relevant industries can develop recommended standards for products other than drugs from an industry, departmental, or regional perspective to apply these products. The second is to establish and improve a national system for obstacle free design, product certification, and evaluation of obstacle free information. The third is to promote the application of new technological achievements in the construction of accessible environments through financial support, government procurement, tax incentives, and other means, and encourage the research and development, production, application, and promotion of accessible technologies, products, and services.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will focus on seven major areas to expand the accessible coverage of internet applications

The development of information technology has brought some difficulties to people with disabilities and the elderly who are unable to use it. When it comes to promoting the construction of information accessibility, Shao Daoxin, Deputy Director of the Information and Communication Management Bureau of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will deepen the upgrade of software service functions, focusing on seven major areas listed in the new law, including news and information, social communication, and daily shopping, to further expand the accessibility coverage of internet applications.

For some unpopular and niche software applications that are specifically designed and loved by people with disabilities and the elderly, we guide relevant enterprises to optimize and upgrade relevant functions as soon as possible to better meet the personalized needs of people with disabilities and the elderly, "said Shao Daoxin.

He stated that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will also optimize the supply of intelligent hardware products, guide and support enterprises to develop "passive and integrated" intelligent products such as health management and intelligent care based on the needs of disabled and elderly people for life assistance and health management; At the same time, we will strengthen the guarantee of basic telecommunications services, guide various basic telecommunications enterprises to improve the quality of voice and large character information services, retain offline business halls and other service channels, and improve the accessibility of on-site consultation guidance and the provision of necessary auxiliary equipment.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development will increase efforts in the construction and renovation of accessible facilities

What measures will the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development take to promote the effective implementation of laws? Liu Lifeng, Deputy Director of the Urban Construction Department of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development, stated in a collective interview that the work of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development involves various aspects of accessible environment construction. It is necessary to improve supporting policies and regulations, increase supervision and law enforcement efforts, accelerate the construction of accessible environments, and promote aging friendly transformation.

We need to increase the construction and renovation of accessible facilities, "Liu Lifeng said." There is still a certain gap between accessible facilities, the environment, and the needs of the elderly, disabled people, and other groups. We need to accelerate the resolution of difficult issues reported by the masses. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development will guide various regions to accurately identify prominent shortcomings in the construction of accessible environments and aging friendly transformation through "urban physical examinations". Combining with the renovation of old urban residential areas, the construction of complete communities, and the construction of comprehensive urban road transportation systems, we will accelerate the resolution of prominent shortcomings and weaknesses, and "make the lives of people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant women, and other groups in the city more peaceful and comfortable".

Liu Lifeng said that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Rural Development needs to focus on three aspects. The first step is the 'physical examination' step. Special "physical examinations" should be conducted to identify prominent issues in the community, buildings, and facilities. The second step is to implement targeted transformation. Based on the results of the "physical examination" and combined with the current work, we will carry out transformation and improvement. The third step is maintenance and upkeep. Establish a mechanism for operation and maintenance, so that accessible facilities can be effectively maintained and maintained. (End)