Disability Intergroup Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference of the Disability Intergroup define the Intergroup’s mission, structure, and working methods. This page explains the Intergroup key objectives, decision-making processes, coordination efforts, and how it engages with stakeholders to promote disability rights.

Disability Intergroup's Terms of Reference

On this page, you can read a simplified version of the Disability Intergroup’s Terms of Reference, which outlines:

Mission of the Disability Intergroup
Structure of the Disability Intergroup
Disability Intergroup actions and coordination
Disability Intergroup meetings
Disability Intergroup events
Disability Intergroup secretariat
Accessibility

You can also download the full original version in the following formats:

Mission of the Disability Intergroup

The European Parliament (EP) Disability Intergroup works to ensure persons with disabilities can fully enjoy their human rights and freedoms. This includes promoting equality and preventing any form of discrimination based on factors such as race, ethnicity, religion, belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, or gender identity. These efforts align with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).
As the EU is a party to the UN CRPD, the European Parliament must be compliant with and contribute to the realisation of the Convention. This means ensuring the rights of people with disabilities are included in all EU policies and creating the necessary structures to support these rights. The Disability Intergroup plays a key role in making the CRPD a reality and works to ensure its principles are followed in its own work.
The Intergroup also prioritises working with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations to foster meaningful dialogue.

Structure of the Disability Intergroup

The Disability Intergroup is led by a Bureau. The Bureau has co-chairs and members. The Bureau make sure there is gender balance and representation from different EU countries and political groups in the Intergroup. No political group can have more than one co-chair.
The Bureau makes decisions by consensus. This means all members must agree or at least not strongly disagree. This way, everyone’s opinions are considered, and decisions are made together.
The Bureau is responsible for making sure the Disability Intergroup’s work plan is carried out.
Each Bureau member can focus on a specific topic, policy, or campaign. This could be things like accessibility, employment of persons with disabilities, deinstitutionalisation, or making sure the European Parliament follows its obligations under the CRPD.

Disability Intergroup actions and coordination

- The Disability Intergroup secretariat ensures the coordination of actions to achieve the Disability Intergroup’s mission and work plan. For example, this could include following important policy discussions in the European Parliament.

Both Disability Intergroup members and the secretariat can start these actions. Members can also ask the Bureau or the secretariat for support or advice.
When members lead an action, they must inform the secretariat about their actions and outcomes. This ensures the whole Intergroup stays informed.

Disability Intergroup meetings

Disability Intergroup full meetings

The Disability intergroup will organise at least 1 full intergroup meeting per year.
The Disability Intergroup may also organise 2 additional meetings to be able to react to important developments.
One of the co-chairs will lead the preparation of each meeting and act as the chair. They will coordinate with other Bureau members and involve them in the planning.

Disability Intergroup Bureau meetings

- The Disability Intergroup Bureau will meet at least twice a year, including during the full Intergroup meeting.
- The co-chairs will take turns leading the meetings.

During these meetings, Bureau members will update each other on important developments in their Committees and their work on disability-related issues.
The secretariat will share the Bureau’s decisions with all members.
At least once a year, the Bureau may meet with and discuss key topics with the Executive Committee of the European Disability Forum (EDF), which includes 11 members from across the European disability movement.

Disability Intergroup events

Any Disability Intergroup member can ask the Bureau for permission to use the Disability Intergroup logo for a public event. The Bureau will decide by consensus whether the event can officially be a Disability Intergroup event.
If the Bureau approves the event, the member organising it must ensure accessibility and inform the secretariat of any important outcomes to share with the rest of the Intergroup.
If the Bureau agrees, the secretariat can support organising and promoting the event. However, this support will not include financial contributions or tasks that create an excessive workload.

Disability Intergroup secretariat

The European Disability Forum (EDF) manages the secretariat of the Disability Intergroup. EDF represents 100 million people with disabilities across Europe. They assign at least one staff member to work on Intergroup matters for about 20% of their time.
EDF and the Disability Intergroup share a common goal: ensuring that disability rights are included in all areas of the European Parliament’s work and remain a priority on the political agenda. EDF will work closely with the Intergroup Bureau and members, sharing information, developing joint initiatives, and monitoring the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) within the European Parliament.
EDF brings the voices of people with disabilities into discussions to support the Intergroup in following Article 4.3 of the CRPD. This article requires governments to actively involve persons with disabilities and their representative organisations when making laws and policies that affect them.
The Intergroup and EDF follow key principles in their work together: goodwill, transparency, partnership, and mutual consultation. They ensure that both the Intergroup (as an informal EP entity) and EDF (as the main representative organisation of persons with disabilities) are visible in all joint activities. Intergroup Bureau members and all other members work closely with EDF to plan and agree on activities.
EDF and the Intergroup collaborate to carry out the Intergroup’s work plan. EDF works with the co-chair responsible for coordinating each specific meeting or activity.
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and their staff support Intergroup activities. MEPs’ staff handle tasks that require official requests under Parliament rules, such as booking rooms and interpretation services, managing visitor access, and arranging logistics. They work with EDF in a spirit of mutual respect.
The Intergroup’s website (www.disabilityintergroup.eu) is maintained by the Secretariat. Members are encouraged to share updates about their activities so that the website stays updated.

Accessibility

All Disability Intergroup meetings, public events, documents, and communication must be fully accessible to persons with disabilities.
The MEP(s) coordinating a meeting are responsible for covering the costs of accessibility services, such as sign language interpretation or live subtitling.