After new disability strategy post-2020 was confirmed by Commissioner Helena Dalli on the 16 January this year, Members of the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee debated a proposed draft resolution on this strategy on the 23rd of January.
This resolution will mark the first position of the European Parliament towards this disability strategy post-2020.
Demands shared by MEPs included:
- Full involvement of persons with disabilities and their organisations when drafting the strategy – MEP Angel, MEP Langensiepen, among others
- Full alignment the strategy with UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Chair of the Committee MEP Nicholsonová, MEP Langensiepen and MEP Kósa among others
Ratification of the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – MEP Marc Angel - Clear objectives, a clear timeline and adequate resources (both financial and human resources). Additionally, there should be a clear responsible for implementing strategy in every service of the European Commission – MEP Langensiepen, MEP Rafalska and MEP Kósa
- Assurance that EU funds are not used for projects that do not ensure the rights of persons with disabilities (for example, residential institutions or inaccessible infrastructure) – MEP Nicholsonová, MEP Angel, MEP Langensiepen and MEP Kósa
- Assurance that no differences exist in how Member States treat persons with disabilities – MEP Nicholsonová, MEP Angel, MEP Dura and MEP Franssen among others
They also shared the following suggestions:
- Focus on the specific challenges of women and girls with disabilities – MEP Kympouropoulos and MEP Brunet
- Focus on the specific challenges of children with disabilities – MEP Dura
- A fully inclusive labour market -MEP Kympouropoulos, MEP Dura, MEP Franssen and MEP Bischoff
- Support for the development of assistive technologies – MEP Kympouropoulos
- Support for full implementation of the European Accessibility Act – MEP Franssen
A point of remembrance to the victims of the fire in a Czech “care home” that killed 8 persons with intellectual disabilities was made by many MEPs, including the Chair of the Committee MEP Nicholsonová and MEP Langensiepen.