The European Federation of Hard of Hearing People (EFHOH) is a non-profit European non-governmental organization established in 1993. It represents hard-of-hearing and late deafened people, parent organizations, and professional groups across Europe. EFHOH advocates for the rights and inclusion of persons with hearing loss by facilitating legislative and social protection on the European Union level. Its vision is a Europe free of barriers for people with hearing loss, enabling them full participation in society with equal opportunities. EFHOH’s activities focus on promoting awareness, understanding, and practical actions to ensure affordable, universal hearing care including access to hearing aids, cochlear implants, and assistive technology. They campaign for accessible public services, hearing loops, subtitling, captioning, and hearing-friendly environments. EFHOH works closely with European institutions, Members of the European Parliament, and other authorities to influence EU policies and legislation relevant to its constituency. It collaborates with other disability and hearing organizations, such as the European Disability Forum, to raise the profile of hearing loss issues. EFHOH runs awareness campaigns on better access to hearing care, equal rights in education and workplaces, and the adoption of new technologies like Auracast™ Bluetooth while advocating for the continued availability of telecoils in hearing devices to maintain accessibility. The organization also prepares alternative reports and participates in processes such as the UN CRPD review to call for stronger enforcement of rights and accessibility for hard of hearing people. EFHOH is headquartered in Houten, The Netherlands, carrying out advocacy, organizing events, and networking at the EU level to shape a more inclusive European society for people with hearing loss.
