News/Press

EU Presidency: “The EU must protect the rights of persons with disabilities
and guarantee their integration”

“The European Disability Forum must continue calling for European anti-discrimination legislation”, said today Franz Müntefering, Minister for Social Affairs and Employment, when addressing the disability movement leaders from EU-27.

Berlin, 24 February 2007 – Franz Müntefering’s official speech was addressed to the Board members of the European Disability Forum (EDF), the representative organisation of 50 million disabled people in Europe, meeting in Berlin over this week-end.

While stressing the importance of a more social Europe in which people with disabilities can raise their voices and enjoy the same rights as any other citizens, the German Minister insisted on the need to protect both the social and civil rights of disabled people: “Germany has accomplished many progress in the disability field and wants to go beyond. Our legal system has significantly been modified in the past ten years to support the effective integration of people with disabilities, but not all Member States have followed the same path. EDF has to continue calling for anti-discrimination legislation.”

The President of the German Disability Council (Deutscher Behinderten Rat), Horst Frehe, stressed the determining role of the European Union on the rights of people with disabilities: “Without the European Union, the current disability discrimination in Germany would not even exist. Thanks to harmonized EU legislation we have made significant progress”.

Müntefering also referred to the imminent signature of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, taking place in New York next 30^th March 2007. “The German Presidency of the EU wants to send a strong political message through this process. We will put all necessary means to guarantee the proper implementation of this important instrument”.

Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum, welcomed the words of the German Minister and informed him about EDF’s campaign “1million4disability”to gather of one million signatures across Europe in favour of stronger disability legislation. “We cannot imagine a Europe that will not provide equal treatment for all its citizens. We will not give up; we will keep putting the pressure and remain at the front line to defend the social and human rights approach. It is the right way forward”.

The Minister informed the disability representatives about the joint efforts of Germany, Portugal and Slovenia to anchor the social dimension in Europe: “We have to contribute to Europe’s advancement. When the proposal for a disability specific directive will be presented at EU level, we will support it.” He also congratulated EDF for its intensive work over the past years: “Nothing about us without us is the motto of your organisation. We believe in your message and we implement it”.

For more information, please contact: Helena González-Sancho Bodero, EDF Communication and Press Officer; Mobile phone: (+ 32 ) 485 64 39 93; E-mail: communication@edf-feph.org

For more information on the campaign “1million4disability”: http://www.1million4disability.eu/

The European Disability Forum (EDF) is the European umbrella organisation representing the interests of 50 million disabled citizens in Europe. EDF membership includesnational umbrella organisations of disabled peoplefrom all EU/EEA countries, as well asEuropean NGOs representing the different types of disabilities, organisations and individuals committed to disability issues. The mission of the European Disability Forum is toensure disabled people full access to fundamental and human rights through their active involvement in policy development and implementation in Europe.