Around 100 participants gathered in Ljubljana, Slovenia on the 11 and 12 May 2024 for our Annual General Assembly. We thank our member the Slovenian National Disability Council – NSIOS – for the support in organising it. The General Assembly was preceded by the conference “Technology in employment. A step towards inclusion“.
The General Assembly saw the election of two new Board members: Victoria Biber (Austrian Disability Council) and Stephanie Wooley (ENUSP). The General Assembly also adopted changes to our statutes, introducing term limits for persons holding the office of President and representatives serving on our Executive Committee.
The General Assembly also adopted changes to our statutes, introducing term limits for persons holding the office of President and representatives serving on our Executive Committee.
During the meeting, delegates also:
- Were updated and agreed on the main findings of our 8th Human Rights Report on legal capacity.
- Debated enforcement of EU law and launched the Toolkit on Enforcement of EU Law.
- Adopted a Resolution on disability rights, peace and conflict resolution.
- Adopted the Warsaw Declaration on disability-inclusive recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.
- Approved our accounts and report for 2023, our budget and activity plan for 2025.
- Celebrated the political agreement on the European Disability Card and European Parking Card.
- Discussed our strategy for the next four years. Consultants supporting the process presented the following emerging objectives: membership engagement and capacity building; diversity and inclusion; communication and dissemination; organisational development; strategic alliances.
- Prepared EDF’s participation on the review of the EU by the UN Committee on Rights of Persons with Disabilities, highlighting the importance of ensuring the recommendations are implemented.
- Agreed on the most important next steps in our campaign towards the European elections, including the need to engage candidates on re-establishing the European Parliament’s Disability Intergroup.
- Announced the date of the next High Level Regional Disability Summit on international cooperation and humanitarian action, focusing on greater Europe and Central Asia
Delegates discussed developments on political participation, listening about the recent developments in Slovenia, Luxembourg and Greece.
Delegates were also updated on our advocacy work and achievements. Highlights included achievements of the Women’s Committee and Youth Committee, the preparation of the European and Global Disability Summits, progress on the European Disability Rights Strategy and on political participation of persons with disabilities, the Equal Treatment Directive, the regulation on cross-border protection of adults, the agreement on a Directive to combat gender-based violence and work on several files related to accessibility and the digital world.