2025 was a year of determination, collaboration, and progress for disability rights across Europe. Not all our work made headlines, but every effort strengthened disability rights in the EU. This snapshot highlights some of our achievements for 2025.
Sharing the Experience of Air Travellers with Disabilities
In 2025, we published our Human Rights Report on Air Travel. This report gathered evidence to highlight persistent accessibility gaps in European air transport.
- 251 persons with disabilities shared their lived experiences with us.
- We presented the findings to Civil Aviation Authorities, Members of the European Parliament, airlines, and airports, ensuring travellers’ voices informed decision-makers.
- 24 Member States provided details on how they enforce passenger rights for persons with disabilities.
- The report included a foreword by EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, recognising the need to address discrimination in air travel.
- These findings are already shaping our advocacy in ongoing EU negotiations on passenger rights, strengthening the case for strong and enforceable protections.
Joining forces for cross-border protection for adults
In 2025, we worked with the European Network on Independent Living, Inclusion Europe, Mental Health Europe, and AGE Platform Europe on joint proposed amendments on the Regulation on Protection of Adults in Cross-Border Situations.
The European Parliament adopted a position that included many of our joint proposals. We hope these changes will strengthen safeguards for autonomy, decision-making, and legal protection for adults with disabilities across borders.
Strengthening justice: progress on the Victims’ Rights Directive
In December 2025, the European Parliament and the European Commission reached an agreement on the revised Victims’ Rights Directive. This is an important step forward for victims with disabilities. The revised text introduces:
- Procedural accommodations for victims with disabilities
- Stronger rights and better access to support services
This agreement moves us closer to justice systems that are accessible and responsive to all victims, including those with disabilities.
Influencing EU policies behind the scenes
Much of our work happens away from the spotlight: consultations, letters, meetings, and drafting reports. These efforts have real political impact. For example, in 2025:
- The European Parliament adopted its report on the Disability Strategy post‑2024, integrating EDF’s proposals.
- The Consumer Agenda 2025–2030 included stronger references to accessibility and disability inclusion.
- The EU published the LGBTI Equality Strategy 2026–2030, which includes several mentions of persons with disabilities.
These policy wins show how crucial advocacy is, even when the impact is not immediately felt.
Supporting Members Across Europe
We are a membership organisation. Working with and for members remained at the heart of our work. In 2025, we:
- Shared 141 funding opportunities with national and local members
- Connected 54 members with project leaders
- Recorded 15 project applications from member organisations, with at least 5 successful ones
- Supported 11 members through sub-grants, supporting national and local work on the rights of women and girls with disabilities
These efforts ensure that grassroots organisations have real resources to advance rights at national and local levels.
2025 showed us that change often happens step by step, through partnerships and persistence in our vision for an inclusive Europe. Our achievements reflect the collective work of members, allies, and individuals across Europe speaking up for disability rights.