To:
Ms. Ursula von der Leyen
President of the European Commission
Ms. Helena Dalli
Commissioner for Equality
Mr. Charles Michel
President of the European Council
Brussels, 23 March 2020
Dear President Von der Leyen,
Dear Commissioner Dalli,
Dear President Michel,
We hereby turn to you as Members of the European Parliament expressing our concern over the situation of persons with disabilities amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
We have received news from persons with disabilities and their representative family members and organisations from all over Europe about the disproportionate effects of the pandemic on persons with disabilities, such as disruptions in personal assistance and care; unequal access to and/or complete exclusion from health-related information and healthcare; lack of general, public safety-related information presented in a clear and simple manner, including in accessible and usable formats for persons with disabilities; lack of precautionary measures in institutions; an increase in the instances of domestic violence, etc.
We understand how challenging these times are, however, we request that you take the necessary measures to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities on an equal footing.
The European Disability Forum has prepared a set of recommendations for policy-makers, which demonstrate critical areas and the wide range of risks and challenges which persons with disabilities face at the moment. We have attached these recommendations to our letter and request that you consult them carefully and address them.
Thank you for your considerations and for taking these indispensable steps in advance.
Yours sincerely,
Katrin Langensiepen, MEP
Marie Toussaint, MEP
Tilly Metz, MEP
Salima Yenbou, MEP
Sarah Wiener, MEP
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, MEP
Rasmus Andresen, MEP
Kim Van Sparrentak, MEP
Heidi Hautala, MEP
Mounir Satouri, MEP
Ernest Urtasun, MEP
Grace O’Sullivan, MEP
Alexandra Geese, MEP
Diana Riba I Giner, MEP