| Author (Person) | Davies, Eric | ||||||||||||
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| Publisher | ProQuest Information and Learning | ||||||||||||
| Series Title | In Focus | ||||||||||||
| Series Details | 2.6.01 | ||||||||||||
| Publication Date | 02/06/2001 | ||||||||||||
| Content Type | News, Overview, Topic Guide | In Focus | ||||||||||||
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The European Commission has formally proposed that the year 2003 be designated 'European Year of Disabled People'. The proposal - which requires approval in the form of a Council Decision - would make funding of €12 million available to promote a range of awareness-raising activities throughout the European Union, intended to 'encourage reflection, discussion and action about measures required to promote equal opportunities'. Announcing the initiative, Anna Diamantopoulou, Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner, said: '2003 must be a time for Europe to become more aware of disability issues and to challenge the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully participating in many aspects of everyday life.' The impact of disability Disabled people comprise some 10&percent; of the population - equivalent to some 38 million Europeans and 500 million people worldwide. A reported new Eurobarometer survey on attitudes towards disabled people [not yet available on the Commission's website] suggests that 60&percent; of EU citizens are personally acquainted with at least one disabled person, and that more than 97&percent; think that more could be done to better integrate disabled people into society. 93&percent; of those surveyed feel that more money should be spent on dismantling physical barriers facing disabled people. Speaking in September 2000, Commissioner Diamantopoulou highlighted the significance of disability in relation to employment:
A Commission document, Mainstreaming disability within EU employment and social policy [pdf], highlights the fact that 'there are still no reliable European-level statistics in this field. Comparison of the situation at EU level is further complicated by the fact that each Member State has its own system for defining the disabled population.' Nontheless, the document does present some Eurostat estimates, based on national surveys carried out in 1991-92:
The disabled are not a homogenous group; the term includes mentally retarded people, people with visual, hearing or speech impairments, people with restricted mobility, and those with 'medical disabilities'. The World Health Organization's International Classification of Impairments, Disabilities and Handicaps, distinguishes between impairment, disability and handicap:
Support for disabled people The Commission's announcement came as no surprise: more than a year earlier in its Communication Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with disabilities[pdf] (COM (2000) 284), the Commission declared its intention to propose that 2003 be declared European Year of Disabled Citizens. Designation of the Year was also acknowledged in the European Social Agenda approved at the Nice European Council in December 2000. The Agenda commits the Union to fight 'poverty and all forms of exclusion and discrimination in order to promote social integration' and to 'Develop, in particular during the European Year of Disabled Citizens (2003), all action intended to bring about the fuller integration of disabled people in all areas of life'. The decision to designate 2003 as European Year of Disabled People was a direct response to lobbying by the European Disability Forum (an umbrella group representing disability organisations). Speaking on 3 December 1999, at a meeting to celebrate the 7th European Disabled Day, Commissioner Diamantopoulou said: 'I am more than pleased to be able to confirm...that I will support this request. I believe that the symbolic focus provided by a European Year could provide a catalyst for new policies, at all levels, to strengthen the human rights of people with disabilities.' 2003 will mark the 10th anniversary of the European Day of Disabled People, which has been held with support from both the European Commission and the European Parliament, working with the European Disability Forum, since 1993. In 1996, the Commission published Equality of Opportunity for People with Disabilities - A New Community Disability Strategy (COM (1996), which was endorsed by the Council the same year in a Resolution. The Community Disability Strategy was adopted partly to meet the requirements of the United Nations Standard Rules on Equalization of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities. The Disability Strategy targeted three main areas:
As part of its actions in favour of people with disabilities and their representatives, the Commission has: established a High level Group on Disability; supports the European Disability Forum; worked with the social partners, who have adopted a Joint Declaration on the employment of people with disabilities; established its own Inter Service Disability Group. Article 13 of the EC Treaty [pdf] (as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam) enables the Council of Ministers to 'take appropriate action to combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation.' The Article is the basis for the Commission's 1999 Communication on certain Community measures to combat discrimination [pdf], which includes three associated proposals - one of which is for a Directive in the field of employment and occupation, which would prohibit discrimination on the grounds listed in Article 13. The May 2000 Communication Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with disabilities seeks to ensure better coordination between relevant policy areas: employment, education and vocational training, transport, the internal market, information society, new technologies and consumers. Disabled people can benefit from new technologies, and Strategies for Jobs in the Information Society[pdf] (COM (2000) 48), adopted in February 2000, recommends that the Information Society Industries ensure that standards for user-friendly equipment are applied. The European Social Fund, will continue to supported disability-centred projects in the 2000-2006 programming period, and the Community Initiative EQUAL is intended 'to promote new ways of tackling all forms of exclusion, discrimination and inequality in relation to the labour market'. Further information within European Sources Online: European Sources Online: European Voice
Further information can be seen in these external links: European Commission: Employment and Social Affairs DG
European Commission: Press and Communication Service SCADPlus European Parliament British Computer Society - Disability Group. British Council of Disabled People European Blind Union European Disability Forum National Ministries responsible for disability issues Austria Rehabilitation International United Nations
Eric Davies The European Commission has formally proposed that the year 2003 be designated 'European Year of Disabled People'. The proposal - which requires approval in the form of a Council Decision - would make funding of 12 million available to promote a range of awareness-raising activities throughout the European Union. |
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| Subject Categories | Employment and Social Affairs |
