The last edition of the European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities occurred on 23 May 2023. Thanks for making it a success.

The theme of the 5^th edition was “Building an inclusive future for persons with disabilities in the EU.”

You are welcome to consult the articles, photos, and agenda of the event below.

If you couldn’t follow it live, you can watch the full video of the event below.

The European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities was a resounding success! We have prepared a photo album with the best moments of the event. Can you find yourself in the pictures? Don’t miss it!

Check all the photos

• Announcement before the event: “700 disability advocates meet in the European Parliament to ask for an “inclusive future in the EU”
• Joint declaration of the Presidents of the European Parliament and the European Disability Forum: “The European Parliament – a forum for all persons with disabilities“
• Press release after the event: “700 disability advocates call on the EU to ensure “Nothing about them without them”

Find the press coverage of the 5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities

In view of the upcoming European elections in 2024, the delegates of the 5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities adopted the”EDF Manifesto on the European Elections 2024″ with the aim of guiding the political programmes of candidates for the European Parliament, the future European Commission appointed after the elections, and all the relevant policies affecting the future of persons with disabilities in Europe and beyond.

• Read the Manifesto

The event will take place from 09:00 to 18:30 CEST (Brussels time). You can find the complete agenda of the event on this webpage.

Speakers will include:

• Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament
• Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum (EDF)
• Vera Jourová, European Commission Vice President Values and Transparency
• Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality
• Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management
• Karine Lalieux, Minister of Pensions and Social Integration, Belgian Federal Government
• Julia Farrugia Portelli, Maltese Minister for Inclusion, Voluntary Organisations and Consumer Rights
• Emilly O’Reilly, European Ombudsman
• MEP Dragoș Pîslaru, chair of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee
• MEP Katrin Langensiepen, chair of the CRPD network
• Valerii Sushkevych, Head of the National Assembly of Persons with Disabilities (NAPD), Ukraine
• Tamara Byrne, self-advocate for persons with intellectual disabilities, representing Inclusion Europe and the EDF Youth Committee
• Carlos Susias, President of the European Anti-Poverty Network
• Paola Albrito, Director of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
• Markus Schefer, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• and more. 

Please find below some video messages in support of the event

Spanish Minister of Social Rights Ione Belarra Urteaga

• Guide of the Day (Word) | Guide of the Day (Easy to Read – Word)
• Manifesto (webpage) | Manifesto (Easy to Read – Word)
• Communication Package (PPT)

The European Disability Forum would like to thank the financial and logistical support of organisations that made this event possible:

• The European Parliament
• European Commission (through an operating grant)
• The Yuste Foundation through the Carlos V Award

We would like to thank the numerous Members of the European Parliament that financially supported national delegations.