Helga Stevens, MEP 17 May 2016 EESC - Brussels Concluding observations of the UN CRPD Committee to the EU European Parliament Helga Stevens, MEP 17 May 2016 EESC - Brussels

EU Review – Background 1 Following ratification: EU now subject to scrutiny by CRPD Committee EU produced initial report on the status of the implementation in June 2014 (periodic report due every 4 years) 17 April 2015: CRPD Committee response (“List of Issues”) 20 May 2015: EP Plenary resolution (urging Commission to take EP into account when formulating answer to list of issues)

EU Review – Background 2 August 2015: CRPD Committee publishes “Concluding observations on the initial report of the European Union” Require EU to answer the CRPD Committee regarding certain issues within one year (i.e. September 2016) Main task of responding lies with Commission BUT: EP must comply as an institution (e.g. for public events or as an employer)

EU Review – Background 3 EP decision: own-initiative-report to ensure its opinions are included in the Commission report (on-going) Full title: Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with special regard to the Concluding Observations of the UN CRPD Committee In EMPL: also proposal of an annual CRPD implementation report (currently under discussion)

Committees involved EMPL – lead PETI & LIBE associated Committees Other opinion-giving Committees: AFET (DROI) DEVE ENVI TRAN REGI CULT JURI FEMM Associated Committees means that in their area of expertise LIBE and PETI’s paragraphs will be included in the EMPL report without vote The other Committees make an opinion and EMPL votes on the paragraphs – if they get a majority, those paragraphs are also added to the main report Rare to get so many Committees for opinion: shows intersectionality of disability rights as human rights and as relevant in all areas of life! One of the highest numbers of opinion-giving Committees (normally only around 2-3)

CRPD Report – Structure General principles and obligations (arts. 1-4) Specific rights (arts. 5-30) Specific obligations (arts. 31-33) European Union institutions’ compliance with the Convention (as public administrations)

CRPD Report – Outlook 1 183 amendments tabled Many were suggestions from disability organisations All my AMs were jointly tabled with Disability Intergroup colleagues Currently in the process of negotiating compromise amendments in shadow meetings Large consensus among shadows about key issues Opinions will be included in final report (in their areas of competence)

CRPD Report – Outlook 2 Vote in plenary: July (in time for intermediate Commission report due September 2016) Disability Intergroup plans press event/conference in the same week to celebrate adoption of report Disability Intergroup event planned on Thursday, 7 July in Strasbourg Next periodic report due to be submitted to CRPD Committee: 23 January 2021 (combined second and third report) Combined report due to the backlog within the CRPD Committee (if a report is submitted now, a country would have to wait 8 years to be considered) NOTE: the EU was fast-tracked

Contact Helga Stevens MEP @StevensHelga helga.stevens@ep.europa.eu www.helgastevens.eu