United Nations experts reviewed EU’s compliance on disability rights.
The European Disability Forum supports the findings of a new evaluation by United Nations experts that calls for the European Union to “conduct a comprehensive review of its legislation”. The evaluation explains that such a review is needed to ensure “compatibility with the Convention” on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
The evaluation report, known as the ‘Concluding Observations,’ is the result of a periodic review of the European Union’s practices (the previous report was published 10 years ago). It acknowledges advances, but notes that more initiatives are needed to ensure equal access and opportunities to persons with disabilities. Experts called for better allocation of EU funds, an updated ‘Strategy on Disability Rights’ and closer involvement of representative organisations of persons with disabilities.
Among other recommendations, experts strongly call to “generate the necessary political support to pass the Equal Treatment Directive”, to do not proceed with the proposed Regulation on protection of adults, to extend the scope of the Disability Card to guarantee freedom of movement, and to adopt a ‘Disability Action Plan‘ for the EU’s external action. They also required that the EU institutions lead by example as public administration, including as an employer.
The Forum recognises the significant advances made over the last 10 years, particularly in accessibility legislation and the adoption of flagship initiatives of Disability Rights Strategies, such as the Disability Card and Parking Card directives.
We now expect the European Union and its institutions to implement the recommendations in the report through an updated European Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and an ambitious EU Budget post-2027.
We will provide a detailed reaction after fully analysing the report.
Yannis Vardakastanis, the President of the European Disability Forum, stated:
The experts’ conclusions largely follow what we have been asking the European Union to do. We hope that the European Union will now show its leadership on human rights during these dangerous times, by acting on these recommendations.