the news programme "Zeit im Bild" has been accompanied by sign language. Furthermore transmissions of debates from Parliament will be subtitled in the future. Experts evaluate programme as inadequate New draft law The current draft of an amendment of the ORF Act provides for a gradual binding annual increase in the percentage of the ORF broadcasts for the hearing and visually impaired. However, this is not sufficient for the persons affected. They are specifically demanding a concrete and binding step-by-step plan with audio description of all broadcasts as part of the public service core mission by 2020 at the latest. In his comment to the draft law, the Ombudsperson for the Disabled pointed to the agreement concluded at the end of 2009, according to which the percentage of subtitled broadcasts will be increased from currently 33% to 45% in 2010 and to 55% in 2011. Moreover, the audio description will be increased both for the ORF’s own productions and co-productions. Measures must The AOB welcomes the endeavours and measures undertaken thus far to improve the barrier freedom of the ORF broadcasts. However, these measures must be urgently intensified. This is the only way to comply with the legal obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Austria has ratified. be intensified 50 The question of barrier-free access to ORF programmes was also the subject of a parliamentary enquiry in September 2009. During this enquiry, a number of experts evaluated the ORF broadcasts for the hearing and visually impaired as still inadequate. With a 30% rate of subtitling, Austria occupies the second to last place in Europe. Only Albania has even poorer broadcasts for the hearing and visually impaired. In comparison, Great Britain and Ireland already have 100% of their programming subtitled, while the figure is 60% in Belgium, Sweden and France.