MEP Katrin Langensiepen hosted the first meeting of the recently re-established Disability Intergroup on 13 February. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) gathered to discuss the composition of the Intergroup Bureau and set priorities for the 2024-2029 parliamentary term.
MEPs agreed to focus on key issues that align with the disability movement’s priorities:
- The second phase of the EU Disability Rights Strategy
- The next Multiannual Financial Framework
- Employment
- Independent living
- Passenger rights
A Critical Moment for Disability Rights
MEP Katrin Langensiepen highlighted the global political context when opening the meeting:
We are in a critical moment for Europe, including for disability policies. We all saw that the Political Guidelines of the new Commission did not include disability among the priorities. The Equality portfolio in the Commission is mixed with other areas, and there is a global trend against diversity, equality, and inclusion. This Disability Intergroup must defend these values too.
Priorities for 2025
While 2024 saw progress in disability rights, recent events show that progress in human rights is fragile, and persons with disabilities are among the first to suffer.
The Intergroup will continue its work on key social policies and accessibility topics from the last mandate, including passenger rights, assistive technologies, employment, and independent living. However, MEPs will also face pressing challenges in the coming months:
- The EU’s response to the review of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- The second phase of the EU Disability Rights Strategy (2021-2030)
- Ensuring that the next Multiannual Financial Framework (2028-2034) supports the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Additionally, MEP Marc Angel expressed concern over the European Commission’s decision to withdraw the long-awaited horizontal anti-discrimination directive.
MEP Pál Szekeres also raised the issue of energy poverty, stressing the need to include it in the Intergroup’s agenda as a major challenge affecting persons with disabilities.
Meet the New Disability Intergroup Chairs
The Disability Intergroup for the 2024-2029 parliamentary term will be co-chaired by:
- Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak (European People’s Party)
- Alexander Agius Saliba (Socialist & Democrats)
- Katrin Langensiepen (Greens/EFA)
The Intergroup has chosen to create a Bureau with one representative per political group to support the co-chairs. The composition of the Bureau will be published soon.
The official work programme and terms of reference of the Intergroup are already available on the Disability Intergroup page
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