On 5 March 2026, EFHOH, together with the European Association of Hearing Aid Professionals (AEA) and the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA), held its annual Lunch Debate at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Katrin Langensiepen. The event formed part of the wider World Hearing Day initiative, which aims to raise awareness of hearing health and the importance of timely access to hearing care.
This year’s debate, titled “From School to Workplace,” focused on the links between hearing health, education and employment. The discussion explored how barriers encountered early in life can shape opportunities later on, and why hearing health needs to be considered more consistently across the life course.
Speakers highlighted the challenges that hard of hearing people continue to face in education and in the transition to employment. They discussed the effects of communication barriers, listening fatigue and limited access to appropriate support, while also underlining the importance of inclusive environments that enable participation from school through to working life. Personal testimonies shared during the event illustrated how accessible educational settings can support inclusion, while barriers often become more pronounced when people enter the workplace.
EHIMA Secretary-General highlights the role of hearing health in employment and job retention
Speaking on behalf of EHIMA, Dr Stefan Zimmer, Secretary General, drew on findings from EHIMA’s EuroTrak survey series to highlight the broader impact of hearing loss across Europe. His remarks underlined that hearing loss is widespread, while access to hearing care and hearing aid uptake continue to vary significantly between countries. He also pointed to the importance of reimbursement systems and access to professional hearing care in determining whether people receive the support they need.
Dr Zimmer further stressed that many people still face barriers along the care pathway, from seeking a diagnosis to taking up hearing solutions even when these are recommended. He noted that these gaps have consequences that go beyond hearing health alone, affecting participation in working life, social inclusion and wider economic productivity.
At the same time, he emphasised that the available evidence shows clear benefits from timely hearing care, including improved quality of life, stronger job retention and better emotional wellbeing. His intervention reinforced the case for earlier action, greater awareness and better access to professional hearing care across Europe. The data he referred to is drawn from EHIMA’s EuroTrak surveys and can be consulted on HearingYou.org.
The event ultimately reinforced the need to address hearing health more consistently across the life course, from school to workplace. EHIMA will continue to advocate for greater awareness, earlier intervention and improved access to hearing care, supported by evidence from its EuroTrak surveys available through HearingYou.org.
