1. Webinar “Disability Policy in the EU”
EUROPEAN NETWORK ON INDEPENDENT LIVING
Webinar “Disability Policy in the EU”
23/02/2017 Frank Sioen Advocacy Officer European Network on Independent Living - ENIL

2. Overview The EU institutions The ordinary legislative procedure
Case-study: The European Accessibility Act

3. The EU institutions

4. The European Commission
EUROPEAN NETWORK ON INDEPENDENT LIVING
The European Commission
The Commission will promote the general interest of the Union and take appropriate initiatives to that end
Public service of the EU ( public servants)
Organised into Directorates General (DG’s), like DG employment
President Jean-Claude Juncker
Proposed by the Council, elected by the Parliament
1 Commission member for each member state (Five year term)
Proposed by each Member States
Selected by the Council and Commission President
Approved by the Parliament

5. The European Parliament
The European Parliament will, jointly with the Council, exercise legislative and budgetary functions. It will exercise functions of political control and consultation as laid down in the Treaties. It will elect the President of the Commission.
Not more than 750 members + 1 President ( 5 year term)
Not more then 96 MEP’s per Member State
President Antonio Tajani (2,5 Year term)
Preparatory work done in Committees (22)

6. The Council of the EU
The Council will, jointly with the European Parliament, exercise legislative and budgetary functions. It will carry out policy-making and coordinating functions as laid down in the Treaties.
Ministers according to their area of work at national level
Preparatory work done in COREPER
COREPER 1: Routine
COREPER 2: Difficult
Work COREPER supported by working groups
Exp: Social Questions working group
Standard voting by QMV

7. European Council
The European Council will provide the Union with the necessary impetus for its development and will define the general political directions and priorities thereof. It will not exercise legislative functions.
Meeting of heads of state established in 1974 as informal meeting, since Lisbon treaty a real institution
Decisions are made by consensus
President Donald Tusk ( 2,5 year term)
The President of the Commission and the HR for Foreign Affairs are also a member of the European Council
The European Council President has to report the results of every meeting to the Parliament

8. European Court of Justice
The Court of Justice of the European Union will include the Court of Justice, the General Court and specialised courts. It will ensure that in the interpretation and application of the Treaties the law is observed.
Has established key principles of EU law
Interprets EU legislation (what is a disability?)

9. Other EU institution Advice: Control
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)
Committee of the Regions (CoR)
Control
Court of auditors : guardian of the EU finances
Ombudsman: complaints against the EU institutions

10. The ordinary legislative procedure
The ordinary legislative procedure will consist in the joint adoption by the European Parliament and the Council of a regulation, directive or decision on a proposal from the Commission.

11. The ordinary legislative procedure in practice
The Commission does a legislative proposal
The Parliament Comities and Council preparatory bodies start to study it
Depending on the legal basis and content of the proposal a specific EP Committee (and similarly Council working group) will take the lead.
Other EP Committees can suggest amendments to the leading Committee by writing reports
NGO’s/civil society give input
Adoption of the first position in the Parliament which is send to the Council
Council can accept the EP positions or suggest changes and send it back

12. European Accessibility Act (EAA)
IMCO Committee rapporteur: first Robert Rochefort since November 2016, Morten Løkkegaard
Shadow rapporteur’s:
Sabine Verheyen (EPP)
Olga Sehnalová (S&D)
Anneleen Van Bossuyt (ECR)
Jiří Maštálka (GUE/NGL)
Igor Šoltes (Greens)
Marco Zullo (EFDD)
Marcus Pretzell (ENF)
COREPER 1 and social questions

13. European Accessibility Act (EAA)
02/12/2015: European Commission publishes the proposal for the EAA
23/02/2016: ENIL position Paper on the Act
25/02/216: Council working party on social questions starts to work on the Act
03/06/2016: COREPER 1 starts to work on the Act
11/07/2016: ENIL amendments on the proposed EAA
11/07/2016: ENIL meeting with MEP Rochefort
14/07/2016: Opinion of the EP Culture Committee on the Act
01/08/2016: EP Petitions Committee analysis of the Act
03/01/2017: EP Transport Committee opinion on the Act
06/01/2017: EP Internal market Committee (IMCO) draft report on the Act
06/02/2017: EP Petitions Committee opinion on the Act
06/03/2017: IMCO Committee debate on amendments to the Act
21/03/2017: IMCO Committee vote on the amendments

14. Links
European Parliament overview page:
Working Party on Social Questions:
COPEPER 1:
European Commission overview page:
ENIL website on the Act:
General EU studies textbook:

16. Thank you! Frank.sioen@enil.eu ENIL www.enil.eu
ENIL Brussels Office
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Tel: 0032 (0)