The European Concept For Accessibility 2003

1.4 Why A Concept?

We form concepts so as to order and give shape to our thoughts, analysing the information we receive and comparing it with what we already know in the search for a coherent statement that will lead us towards real knowledge. The European Concept for Accessibility is the tool we should use to order and give shape to our environment so that it becomes suitable for each and every one of its users. In order to do so, we have to analyse existing information and compare it with the real needs of the population, always remembering that the common feature of this population is precisely its diversity.

Thus, the European Concept for Accessibility (ECA) has to be a tool that is available to politicians, construction firms, designers, employers – to all those people and bodies who are involved in building our environment – as a basic guideline to everyday working.

As has already been pointed out, this does not imply standardisation or cultural uniformity. Working under the same concept means respecting the functional requirements of accessibility, maintaining the distinguishing characteristics of each culture and the customs of different population groups.

Therefore, the ECA is not a series of tables of measures and materials but, rather, a guide to the features which imply quality of life. In summary, environments created under the European Concept for Accessibility have to respect a country's identity and the customs of its people, but they also have to respond to social and technological progress. In other words, they have to take into account the diversity of the population and progressive advances in quality standards.