The compromise agreement on setting up the Ukraine Facility Regulation, a new dedicated instrument to support Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernisation, was approved by the European Parliament this week. The European Disability Forum, with our Ukrainian members, strongly advocated for the Facility to include meaningful participation of organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), accessibility, and the transition from residential institutions to community-based living for persons with disabilities.
The Ukraine Facility will be structured in three pillars: the Ukraine Plan; the Ukraine Investment Framework; and technical assistance and other supporting measures helping Ukraine align with EU laws and carrying out structural reforms on its path to future EU membership. It will have a total budget of 50 billion euros.
The result of the negotiations aligns with our demands, especially by:
- Requiring the implementation of the Facility to be in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and ensuring relevant stakeholder involvement in the decision-making process as well as accessibility in its investments and technical assistance;
- Addressing the social health challenges, including mental health;
- Improving and strengthening social care systems and their accessibility, in particular for specific groups such as persons with disabilities;
- Ensuring and strengthening the respect for the rights of persons belonging to all minorities, including the rights of persons with disabilities;
- Ensuring the right of meaningful participation in the recovery, reconstruction and modernisation of Ukraine of civil society, for example, by ensuring their involvement in policy shaping and decision-making processes and ensuring consultation and participation of civil society organisations;
- Ensuring measures under the Ukraine Plan contribute to social objectives, including the inclusion of groups in vulnerable situations;
- Requiring information, communication and publicity to be provided in an accessible format;
- Ensuring easily accessible information on the volume and allocation of assistance.
What is missing
The text is especially missing a prohibition for using EU funds to build, renovate or rebuild segregating residential institutions. It is also lacking provisions to support the transition from residential institutions to community-based living for persons with disabilities.
Next steps
The provisional agreement is subject to approval by the Council before the text can go through the formal adoption procedure. Once adopted, it will be published in the EU’s Official Journal and enter into force on the following day.
Contact
Giulia Traversi, EDF Humanitarian Policy Officer. Email: giulia.traversi@edf-feph.org