This year’s State of the European Union, a flagship address by the President of the European Commission, included interpretation in International Sign, hosted on the European Parliament’s page.
This is a positive development in terms of accessibility. However, we regret that no other advancements were made towards full accessibility of the address. We renew our call for additional measures to ensure all persons with disabilities can follow the address through:
- High-quality real-time captioning;
- Interpretation in national sign languages;
- an easy-to-read version of the address.
We also regret that the address did not focus on advancing the rights of marginalised groups or human rights in general, at a moment when we are facing strong pushback. This is a troubling sign of how equality has taken a backseat in this Commission and in the view the President of the Commission herself.
Main disability-related issues
While no specific disability-related initiatives were announced, we note the positive focus on the European Care Deal (for demographic change) and the position that “care is not a privilege”. The Deal must equally ensure support for persons with disabilities in a way that guarantees their independence and freedom.
We also highlight the mention of the European Pillar of Social Rights, including a Summit to ensure its implementation.
The commitment to a Quality Jobs Act that uses artificial intelligence to improve skills must guarantee that artificial intelligence at work is accessible and does not discriminate against persons with disabilities.
We renew our concerns about the announced social media restrictions, as they put the onus on citizens and not on tech companies. Persons with disabilities have come to rely on social media to find community and to participate in public life when other avenues are inaccessible to them. We are also concerned that the implementation of age verification will be done in an inaccessible way and lock out persons with disabilities.
Other initiatives of note in the speech include:
- A climate insurance alliance meant to support people with financial losses incurred due to climate disasters, together with a European Heatwave Plan. We will advocate that these include specific measures for persons with disabilities, such as ensuring their safety and health and that assistive technology and devices are properly insured and swiftly replaced.
- The new Mediterranean Youth Skills and Jobs initiative could be used to enhance cooperation with organisations of persons with disabilities in Mediterranean countries and improve employment of young persons with disabilities.
We also welcome the President’s call for a strong EU budget with enough money allocated to make a meaningful impact
Some proposed initiatives, presented on the official page but absent from the speech, include:
- The Emergency Response Framework should ensure emergency services are accessible 24/7 for everyone.
- The Commission Recommendation on banning conversion practices will be an important step forward for the fundamental rights of the LGBTIQ community. The Commission must also adopt the Recommendation on the prevention of harmful practices against women, promised in the previous Gender Equality Strategy, and that would address the forced sterilisation of women with disabilities.
The inclusion of the story of Sasha, a Ukrainian child with disabilities acquired due to a Russian attack, shows the brutal impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine. We value Sasha’s lived experience and resilience as well as that of people of all ages caught in conflict zones around the world today. We hope that European leaders will come together to do all in their power to bring a just end to the war in Ukraine and act for peace in every part of the world.
You can watch and read the speech, and explore propose initiatives in the official page of the address.