European Disability Forum

Donate

Disability Intergroup: Achievements of 2023

Disability Intergroup: Achievements of 2023

For over 40 years, the Disability Intergroup has played a significant role in advancing disability rights and inclusion within the European Union through its advocacy efforts, policy initiatives, and engagement with stakeholders. In 2023, with only one year left in this parliamentary term to work on its work plan, the Disability Intergroup and its Members focused their efforts on the remaining priorities, including the Disability Card and Parking Card, combating violence against women, employment of persons with disabilities, and the Artificial Intelligence Act.

Legislative Key Achievement

  1. In September 2023, the European Commission introduced its proposal for the European Disability and Parking Cards. The proposal was quickly followed by a speedy adoption of an EP ambitious position regarding the Disability Card and Parking Card proposal. The final text was adopted by the EP in February 2024. Several Members of the Intergroup were involved in the negotiations, defending the demands of the disability movement.
  2. Since June 2023, several Members of the Disability Intergroup, including Sirpa PIETIKÄINEN, Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT, and José GUSMÃO, have been involved in the text “Union of Equality: standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment and equal opportunities between women and men in matters of employment and occupation Agreement on Directive on minimum standards for equality bodies”. The text was voted by the European Parliament in November 2023 and is now awaiting the Council’s 1st reading position.
  3. In April 2021, the European Commission introduced its proposal for the Artificial Intelligence Act in response to citizens’ proposals from the Conference on the Future of Europe (COFE). Since then, many Members of the Intergroup have been involved in the report and in debates around the topic, including Brando BENIFEI who was the rapporteur of the text. In June 2023, the European Parliament adopted, by 499 votes to 28 with 93 abstentions, amendments to the proposal before being referred back to the committee responsible and finally approved in Committee in February 2024. In March 2024, the European Parliament adopted by 523 votes to 46, with 49 abstentions, the legislative resolution on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on laying down harmonised rules on Artificial Intelligence (Artificial Intelligence Act) and amending certain Union Legislative Acts. The text is now awaiting the Council’s 1st reading position.
  4. In March 2022, the European Commission introduced its proposal for the directive on Combating violence against women and domestic violence. From the Disability Intergroup, Malin BJÖRK, Sylwia SPUREK,  and Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT have been working on this file. In July 2023, the European Parliament formally approved their position on the proposed EU Directive on combating violence against women. However, EU countries – at the level of the Council of the EU – have refused the proposed Directive with the inclusion of the crime of forced sterilisation during negotiations. The European Parliament will now have to decide if they accept the position of the Council in order to adopt the directive.

 

Advancement on Policy files

In 2023, Members of the Disability Intergroup have also been working on several other files, including:

  1. On 14 February 2023, the European Parliament adopted provisions in two reports, one on the Mobile EU Citizens Directive (EP elections) and one on the Mobile EU Citizens Directive (municipal elections). The Parliament specified that all EU citizens should have the right to vote “regardless of legal capacity” and proposed that all measures to facilitate the right to vote for nationals with disabilities should be put in place also for non-national EU citizens with disabilities.
  2. In June 2023, the EP adopted a report on quality traineeships in the EU which underlines that quality traineeships must be inclusive and accessible to all, urging in particular the need to support persons with disabilities. MEP Monica SEMEDO was the rapport for this report. In our series of interviews with Members of the European Parliament, she explained how this initiative will protect trainees with disabilities.
  3.  Several Members of the Disability Intergroup, including MEPs Josianne CUTAJAR, Cindy FRANSSEN, Eva KAILI, Kateřina KONEČNÁ, Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS, Marisa MATIAS, Katrin LANGENSIEPEN, Tilly METZ, Stefania ZAMBELLI, Samira RAFAELA, were part of the EP ‘Special Committee on the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned and recommendations for the future’ (COVI) who presented the Resolution on the COVID-19 pandemic adopted on the 12 July 2023 by the the European Parliament.
  4. In December 2023, the European Parliament adopted by 482 votes to 94, with 32 abstentions, a resolution on mental health. MEP Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS  was one of the shadow rapporteurs of the report which stressed that “mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities have the right to receive evidence-based treatment and support tailored to their needs.”.

Key moments

  1. The Bureau of the Disability Intergroup came together in Brussels on 2 February 2023 to discuss its priorities for the year. The meeting was hosted by MEP Brando BENIFEI, vice chair of the Intergroup, and the Executive Committee of EDF also participated to inform the MEPs about the main objectives of the European disability movement.
  2. On March 16, MEPs Radka MAXOVÁ and MEP Ádám KÓSA co-hosted a meeting titled “The Power of Accessibility” to discuss how to improve employment opportunities for persons with disabilities, as well as what improvements need to happen for the Parliament to become more accessible. Representatives of the European Commission disability unit, the Disability Support Group in the European Parliament, and the European Disability Forum were also present at this meeting.
  3. For the 5th European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities (23 May 2023), several Members of the Disability Intergroup have sponsored delegations of persons with disabilities from different countries through the EP visitors programme. On the day itself, many met the delegations and participated in the plenary debates.
  4. From June 15 to June 16, a delegation of MEPs, including Members of the Disability Intergroup participated in the 16th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP). MEPs Dragoş PÎSLARU, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Katrin LANGENSIEPEN, Janina OCHOJSKA, Rosa ESTARÀS FERRAGUT, and Cristina MAESTRE MARTÍN DE ALMAGRO were part of this delegation who took part in round-tables and debates related to the global implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) and discussed, issues such as digital accessibility and the development of skills for employment.
  5. On 5 October, the whole Disability Intergroup was invited to discuss the remaining priorities of the group ahead of the elections. MEP Monica SEMEDO hosted this meeting.
  6. in December 2023, the European Parliament organised its very first Disability Rights Week, to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It took place from 27 November to 4 December. On this occasion, several members of the Disability Intergroup joined the numerous events and debates, addressing key issues for the disability community.

Cooperation among MEPs

  1. On October 4, MEP Ádám KÓSA, along with MEP Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS and MEP Radka MAXOVÁ, met Alessandro Chiocchetti, the Secretary-General of the European Parliament, to further explore the possibility of appointing a coordinator who would connect all Directorates-General and Services within the European Parliament dealing with disability and accessibility issues. The accessibility coordinator must have a proactive administrative role within the European Parliament. Secretary-General Chiocchetti and President Metsola reached an agreement on this new position.
  2. In July 2023, MEP Milan BRGLEZ, Marc ANGEL, José GUSMÃO, Katrin LANGENSIEPEN, Sylwia SPUREK, and 30 more MEPs wrote a question for written answer to the Commission on the right of persons with disabilities to participate in the electoral process.
  3. On 7 March 7 2023, MEP Estrella Durá Ferrandis hosted at the European Parliament the visit of the newly appointed Spanish Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) Ambassador, Ángel Lossada Torres-Quevedo. During the meeting, Members from the Disability Intergroup, Spanish MEPs working on disability issues.