Ensuring the disabled are in the mainstream in Europe

One person in six in the European Union has a disability. With a population of almost 500 million, this means tens of millions of people are affected in some way. The EU’s policy in this field is termed 'mainstreaming'. This means that the needs of disabled people are included in all mainstream EU policies. Greek Socialist Evangelia Tzampazi, who is herself disabled, is a leading voice in the European Parliament on disabilities. On 3 December 2007 – the International Day of Disabled People – the European Parliament journalists spoke to her.