On Disability Intergroup in the European Parliament and the new EU Disability Strategy Ádám Kósa member of the European Parliament president of the Disability Intergroup EQUINET AGM 17 November Brussels On Disability Intergroup in the European Parliament and the new EU Disability Strategy Ádám Kósa member of the European Parliament president of the Disability Intergroup EQUINET AGM 17 November Brussels

On the topic Basic principles: - strengthened cooperation between EU Institutions - supporting the ratification of UN Convention of rights of persons with disabilities in MSs - more attention should be paid to the employment related policies at EU and member states levels (EU2020)

What the EP has already legally done? two resolutions on sign language in 1988 and 1998 resolution in 1995 on the human rights of disabled people, resolution in 1996 on the Rights of Disabled People, resolution in 1997 on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities, resolution of 23 June 2003 on Towards a United Nations legally binding instrument to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities resolution of 4 April 2009 on the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol thereto resolution on EU2020 with expressed reference to disabled workers

European Union and the new employment policy New resolution of 8 September 2010 on Employment Guidelines for the Member States (with overwhelming majority) New Challenges: - only 4 new guidelines (out of 10) are in employment field for simplification (between : 8 out of 24 Integrated Guidelines ). Guideline 7: Increasing labour market participation and reducing structural unemployment Guideline 8: Developing a skilled workforce responding to labour market needs, promoting job quality and lifelong learning Guideline 9: Improving the performance of education and training systems at all levels and increasing participation in tertiary education Guideline 10: Promoting social inclusion and combating poverty

Why is the EP important to us?  We can be at the legislation of the EU  Big public attention and new contacts  Increasing the activity of the European Commission  Gearing up the adoption of the UN Convention on rights of people with disabilities as well as sign languages Political message: „Nothing about us, without us”  We can be at the legislation of the EU  Big public attention and new contacts  Increasing the activity of the European Commission  Gearing up the adoption of the UN Convention on rights of people with disabilities as well as sign languages Political message: „Nothing about us, without us”

Concrete references on disabilities Resolution on EU Takes the view that the ageing of Europe's population requires lifelong learning policies and a more flexible retirement age (where employees opt for this), so as to keep a sufficient number of active people in the labour market and enhance their social inclusion; is of the opinion that the employment potential of older people and disabled workers is often neglected, and expects proposals aimed at enhancing their potential; urges, furthermore, the Commission to put forward a strategy to combat youth unemployment; Ádám Kósa Ádám, Iceland, 11-13/02/2010

Planned roadmap of the Trio Presidency One of the most important tools, the National Reform Programmes – after having consulted with the member states – are going to be adopted by next April under the Hungarian Presidency New measures are going to be introduced within the next year: - European Semester in January flagships of EU2020, especially: - New Skills and Jobs - Platform against Poverty Conclusion will be adopted in the relevant Council on Disability Strategy next March

New Disability Strategy Public consultation in last autum on new Disability Straregy showed that, according to the European citizens, people think the most important fields are as follows: - accessibility to built environment (95%) - equal opportunities in the job market (94%)

Conclusion of the public consultation on DS - Apart from the access to barrier-free environment in general, a much better policy needed to integrate and help disabled job seekers with lowest-rated status, especially in an innovative and green-based economy with skilled workers. - Even though the innovation-driven as well as the green-based industrial focused approaches are welcomed in general, the next Disability Strategy cannot neglect the alarming situation of these marginalised groups of people with disabilities. - Considering the recent trends in ageing, the disabled people on the dole also must be urgently integrated into the society since within 2 decades there will be a serious shortage of 20 million workers in Europe.

On Disability Strategy One of the most important tools: European Accessibility Act proposed by 2012 By 2015 in most cases of its action programme’ aims and results as well as concrete actions should be formulated and reached Why? By 2020 almost 20 million active workers will be retired – shortage of people to handle

During the past year Consultiaions with the EU institutions Disability Intergroup sittings With Spanish and Belgian Presidencies on their programmes Sessions for EU2020 strategy and women with disabilities by written questions for constructing new ways to move on

Topics of written questions on consumer-protection; the effect of the UN Convention; the state-aid policy during financial crisis; the right to sign language; the wider accessibility of transport, including the prohibition of different pricing of transport measures and means and navigation; a more effective cohesion policy and a better integration of Structural Funds with special regard to the regional policy wider accessibility to intellectual and artistic works

General conclusions - Anti-discrimination measures are the most important tools for defending people with disability on open labour market and market related issues (consumer protection, pricing, etc.) - MEPs should focus on European Employment Strategy and the relevant flagship initiatives of EU2020; - MEPs and all experts relevant in the field might follow the consultations on National Reform Programmes with special attention to people with disabilities - MEPs should care about the disabled people without skills needed in an innovative world regarding the disadvantages of globalisation - More attention should be paid to following the programmes and planned revisions of the European Social Fund and European Regional and Development Fund as well as Cohesion Fund for anti-discrimination related projects

Thank you for your attention!