The European Union of the Deaf (EUD) is a supraorganization comprising each respective National Association of the Deaf of the member states of the European Union. The EUD is a nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and is a Regional Co-operating Member of the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD), a full member of the European Disability Forum (EDF) and has a participatory status with the Council of Europe (CoE). Originally founded as the European Regional Secretariat of the World Federation of the Deaf (ERS),, delegates voted in 1988 to rename it to the European Community Regional Secretariat of the World Federation of the Deaf (ECRS) and in 1994 to the current European Union of the Deaf (EUD).
EUD's goals include equality for Deaf people in employment, education, and public as well as private life, and the right to use indigenous sign language.
As of June 2026, the European Union of the Deaf has 32 full members from 31 countries and one affiliate member, with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
History Presidents: 2022–present: Sofia Isari () 2013–2022: Markku Jokinen () 2007–2013: Berglind Stefánsdóttir () 2005–2007: Helga Stevens () 1990–2005: Knud Søndergaard () 1989–1989: Jeff Labes () 1985–1989: Jock Young ()
Members
Full members: AssociationCountryAustrian Federation of the DeafDeaf FlandersUnion of the Deaf in BulgariaCroatian Association of the Deaf and Hard of HearingCyprus Deaf FederationCzech Republic Union of Deaf and Hard of HearingDanish Deaf AssociationEstonian Association of the DeafNational Federation of France for the DeafGerman Federation of the DeafHellenic Federation of the DeafHungarian Association of the Deaf and Hard of HearingIcelandic Association of the DeafIrish Deaf SocietyItalian National Agency for the protection and assistance of the DeafLatvian Association of the DeafLithuanian Deaf AssociationLuxembourgian Association of the Deaf and hard of hearingMaltese Deaf People's AssociationDeaf Association of the NetherlandsNorwegian Association of the DeafSlovak Association of the DeafSlovenian Association of the Deaf and Hard of HearingBritish Deaf Association Affiliated Members: AssociationCountryUkrainian Society of the Deaf
See also International Federation of Hard of Hearing Young People Languages of the European Union World Federation of the Deaf
References
External links Official EUD website