Date and Venue
The annual meeting of the blind and partially sighted associations of the Baltic States took place on May 8–9, 2025, in Riga, Latvia. The venue for the discussions was the meeting room on the first floor at Braila Street 3. The event brought together leaders and representatives of national organizations from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.
Participants
The meeting gathered senior representatives from the following national organizations:
- Latvian Society of the Blind: Kaspars Biezais (Chair person of the Board), Dace Dobrāja (Vice Chair)
- Estonian Blind Union: Jakob Rosin (President), Mari Sepp (CEO)
- Lithuanian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (LASS): Vilmantas Balčikonis and colleagues – Uģis Skuja (member of the Board of LSB) and Pēteris Locāns (Chair person of the Board of Strazdumuiža territorial organization).
Purpose of the Meeting
The main purpose of the meeting was to share updates on national developments in policy and practice, foster closer regional cooperation, and discuss opportunities to coordinate positions on key strategic issues affecting blind and partially sighted persons. The event also provided a platform for informal exchange, mutual learning, and exploring potential future projects.
During the meeting also the visits to LSB Rehabilitation centre and Strazdumuiža secondary school for the children who are blind or partially sighted took place.
Main Topics and Discussions
1. Employment and Support Systems
Estonia has implemented a relatively advanced system to support employment among people with visual impairments. This includes wage subsidies and workplace adjustments. However, employer awareness remains low, and negative attitudes persist. Estonia noted a gap between high levels of education among blind individuals and their employment outcomes, suggesting a need for more vocational reorientation and tailored support.
In Lithuania, while employment support exists, there is a structural issue: individuals with Group II disabilities only receive support for three years. As this reform was enacted 2.5 years ago, a large number of current employees will soon lose support. LASS is actively campaigning for the continuation or adjustment of this policy.
Latvia reported having less favorable employment support conditions, highlighting the need for further data and analysis to evaluate its impact and effectiveness.
2. Disability Assessment Systems
Estonia is considering a significant shift: eliminating the current model of disability determination and moving toward a service-needs-based model. Although discussions are ongoing, this potential change is causing concern due to uncertainty about implementation.
Lithuania has introduced a new model in 2024 that combines medical (60%) and social (40%) criteria. LASS contributed to the development of social assessment methodologies and considers the model favorable for visually impaired individuals.
In contrast, Latvia still relies solely on medical criteria for determining disability, which can limit access to services for those with visual impairments.
3. Guide Dogs
Estonia has two organizations training guide dogs. However, neither is affiliated with international guide dog federations, and there is no professional national quality control system. Trainers often received qualifications decades ago. The current system involves multiple stakeholders, including the state, schools, and user organizations, but lacks a clear leadership structure. The Estonian Blind Union is seeking to play a central coordinating role.
Lithuania remains the only EU country without a formal guide dog support system. In 2024, following advocacy by LASS, the government included the creation of such a system in its action plan. A working group has been formed, but much remains to be done.
Latvia has one operating guide dog school. However, the lack of competition and absence of independent assessment mechanisms raise concerns about high costs and quality. It was proposed that neighboring countries could support each other by evaluating guide dogs independently.
4. Rehabilitation Systems
Estonia’s main rehabilitation facility in Tallinn is facing serious issues: it operates in outdated premises and lacks capacity. There is strong interest in reform, including the involvement of international experts. The government is initiating steps to revise funding and regulatory frameworks.
Latvia has delegated social rehabilitation for the blind to its national association. Services are provided by the central center and its branches. While the model works, concerns have been raised that this function may eventually shift to the private sector.
Lithuania’s system remains fragile, lacking a clear national referral mechanism. However, LASS has made structural investments, including a 12-bed facility, and offers regular rehabilitation programs. In spring 2025, an 8-person OM training was organized. In autumn, with support from the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation, a U.S. OM specialist will be invited, and Latvian specialists will participate.
5. Implementation of the European Accessibility Act
Representatives from the Ministry of Welfare of Latvia, Society Soc Integra, and others joined the discussion. Latvia presented its experience in transposing the EAA directive into national law. Responsible institutions have been designated, and a multi-body oversight system is being implemented. However, uncertainties remain regarding the scope of regulation—especially concerning self-service terminals.
Lithuania and Estonia shared their own challenges and highlighted the active role of blind associations in raising awareness and participating in stakeholder consultations. Participants agreed that closer cooperation in interpreting and implementing the directive would be beneficial.
6. Strengthening Regional Cooperation
An example of regional coordination was the discussion on accessibility in Apple products. Lithuanian language support was recently added, while Latvian and Estonian languages are still absent. Participants agreed to jointly address Apple with a request through the EBU.
The idea to re-establish the Baltic Council of the Blind Associations was proposed. The goal is to enable coordinated positions on strategic matters and amplify the collective voice in European platforms such as EBU.
The Baltic delegations agreed to further
- Strengthen cooperation in rehabilitation training and service quality improvement.
- Continue information exchange on EAA implementation and advocate for clarity in its scope.
- Explore forming joint positions and initiatives under a re-established Baltic Council.
- Consider joint project proposals for regional or EU-level funding.
- Collaborate on digital accessibility advocacy, including engaging with technology companies.
The year 2026 will mark the centenary of both Latvian and Lithuanian blind associations. Coordination of celebratory events was discussed to avoid date conflicts.
Acknowledgment
The participants express their sincere appreciation to the Latvian Society of the Blind for their warm hospitality and excellent organization of the meeting.
Prepared by: Vilmantas Balčikonis, Representative of LASS