Disability Intergroup Work Priorities

DISABILITY INTERGROUP WORK PRIORITIES 2009-2014

 A European Parliament for all The Disability Intergroup will continue working on making the European Parliament a model example of full accessibility of buildings, documents, websites and meetings (including hearing loop systems and sign language interpretation), and recruitment and employment procedures. It will do so in cooperation with the EP Unit for Diversity and Equal Opportunities and the Inter-Service Working Group on the follow-up of the accessibility audit (GTIS). The Disability Intergroup will pay special attention to raising awareness about the accessibility of the European Parliament elections (including electoral campaigns) to people with disabilities. This includes the right to cast a vote freely and autonomously without undue influence from others at an accessible polling station using accessible voting materials.

 UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Council decision to ratify the Convention was adopted in November 2009. Although the official procedure at the EP is now over, the Convention is, for many years to come, the most important international legal instrument for promotion of the rights of people with disabilities. The Disability Intergroup will push for swift confirmation of ratification with the United Nations and effective implementation of all obligations under the Convention, including non-discrimination, accessibility and involvement of people with disabilities in all decisions that concern them. The Intergroup members will work on mainstreaming the Convention in all parliamentary committees they are involved in.

 A comprehensive Disability Pact setting objectives and targets at EU level The Disability Intergroup will work to support the proposal of the European Disability Forum for a Disability Pact based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Such a Pact, if adopted by the Council, would aim to tackle all barriers that disabled persons face daily in society and to achieve equal opportunities and equal participation in all aspects of life. It would allow to mainstream disability effectively within the post-Lisbon process and its Open Methods of Coordination on employment, social protection and social inclusion, education, and within existing Pacts on Gender Equality and on Youth. The Pact would involve the definition of common objectives, targets and indicators by Member States and the definition of priority actions at EU level for the next 10 years.

 The right to non-discrimination in all areas of life

1 The Disability Intergroup will promote the right to be free from discrimination in all areas of life, including employment, access to goods and services, transport, education, social security and healthcare. The Disability Intergroup will continue supporting the European disability community in their struggle for the strongest possible protection against discrimination, including through the mainstreaming of the non-discrimination clause in the Lisbon Treaty. The Intergroup will closely monitor the work of the Commissioner for Fundamental Rights.

 The right to a decent income, social protection and social security The Disability Intergroup will work to support the European disability community in their struggle for the right to live with dignity above the poverty level with guaranteed minimum income. The Intergroup will work to ensure that people with disabilities are not disproportionately affected by the aftermath of the financial crisis. In particular, it will engage in the revision and implementation of the Open Methods of Coordination on social protection and social inclusion, and discussions on minimum income.

 The right to live independently in the community and make our own choices in life The Disability Intergroup will continue to defend the right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, to make decisions about their lives and to benefit from the right to personal assistance. The Disability Intergroup will continue to actively support the Freedom Drives organized biennially by the European Network of Independent Living and due to be held in 2011 and 2013.

 The right to equal access to public transport and goods and services The Disability Intergroup will continue working to complete the transport package ensuring equal access to air, maritime and bus transport to all people with disabilities. This will include promoting news disability-friendly transport legislation as well as the effective implementation of the existing directives and regulations of the passengers’ rights. It will also work to ensure the mainstreaming of disability equality and accessibility in all internal market legislation regulating freedom of goods, services, persons and capital.

 Human rights of people with disabilities in third countries Acknowledging that 80 % of world’s disabled population lives in developing countries and the fact that the EU is the world’s largest donor of development aid, the Disability Intergroup will work to ensure the respect for human rights of people with disabilities in third countries by demanding the inclusion of a disability dimension in the human rights dialogues with third countries and disability-proofing of the EU aid programmes. It will also support that disability is taken into account in the implementation of the MDGs.

 Disability-proof EU budget The Disability Intergroup will work to ensure that the general European Union budget does not finance activities that contribute to building new barriers against people with disabilities. Specifically, it will work to ensure that the all programmes and policies financed from the EU budget take into account the disability dimension, both through the revision of the financial perspective and through the annual procedure. The Intergroup will also work to make the budget of the EU institutions disability-proof, especially in relation to accessibility of the EU communication and information tools, its buildings and infrastructures, employment of people with disabilities by the Institutions and the schooling of children with disabilities in the European Schools.

2  Visibility of the Disability Intergroup at the European Parliament The Disability Intergroup will work to increase its visibility in the EP processes. The most important and urgent step will be ensuring the availability of facilities (room and interpretation) for the Intergroup meetings in Strasbourg and Brussels. The Intergroup will also develop better tools for communication with its members and other interested parties, such as its website and the regular newsletter. It will also facilitate dialogue with other EU institutions, social partners, industry and civil society, and will ensure a close cooperation with organisations of persons with disabilities.

15 December 2009

Disability Intergroup Secretariat Janina Arsenjeva [email protected] Tel +32 2 282 4602 GSM +32 473 983489