European Disability Forum

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European Disability Forum

• All you need to know about EDF.
• Its role, methods and procedures

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European Disability Forum

• A bit of history .
• EDF was created in the framework of HELIOS II
  programme (1993-1996), the European Community
  Action Programme in favour of people with
  disabilities.
• For the first time, European and national
  disability organisations covering the whole
  spectrum of disability were given the opportunity
  to cooperate in an officially established body by
  the European Commission.

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European Disability Forum

• A bit of history .
• EDF had a consultative role towards the European
  Commission and could express its opinions during
  the meetings convened by the Disability Unit of
  the European Commission, in cooperation with the
  EC Interservice group on disability.
• The organisations, who participated in the
  European Disability Forum, took this opportunity
  to learn how to cooperate and unite their
  concerns in one strong and unique voice.

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European Disability Forum

• A bit of history .
• In 1996, at the end the HELIOS II programme, the
  ENGOs members involved in EDF decided to
  establish an independent European Disability
  Forum a European platform of disability NGOs
  established by persons with disabilities and by
  their families, with a proactive role towards the
  EU institutions and EU policies with a direct and
  indirect impact on the lives of European citizens
  with disabilities.

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs role, mission and values
• Our Mission
• The mission of EDF is to promote equal
  opportunities and non-discrimination of disabled
  people and to guarantee and protect their
  fundamental human rights by means of active
  involvement in policy development and campaigns
  on disability rights at the EU level.

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs role, mission and values
• Our Values
• Self-advocacy we are an organisation where
  disabled people and parents of disabled people
  unable to represent themselves are the decision
  makers.
• Involvement we believe in and campaign for the
  right of disabled people to be fully involved in
  policy-making process through their
  representative organisations, our guiding
  principle being "nothing about disabled people
  without disabled people".

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs role, mission and values
• Our Values
• Independence we make sure that our organisation
  remains independent, and that it is our members
  who decide upon the EDF work programme and policy
  positions.
• Visibility we demand that the rights of disabled
  people are visible in all sectors of life.
• Rights-based inclusion we fight for the
  inclusion of disabled people in society as a
  right we refuse the out-of-date charitable
  approach to disability.

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs role, mission and values
• Our Values
• Solidarity we work to build a stronger and more
  united disability movement, with special
  attention to those with significant and multiple
  disabilities, those who face multiple
  discrimination or any other form of
  marginalisation.
• Partnership we build alliances with all those
  organisations that share our goals and help us to
  promote the rights of disabled people. Our
  extensive network is our strength. With our
  partners we exchange ideas and experience,
  enriching our work with their know-how and
  expertise.

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European Disability Forum

• EDF membership
• The width and diversity of the European
  disability movement is one of the greatest
  strengths of EDF. EDF continuously seeks to
  exploit this richness in its work priorities in
  order to achieve a stronger and more cohesive
  disability movement.

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European Disability Forum

• EDF members include
• Representative European Non Governmental
  Disability Organisations (full members)
• National Councils (the national federations) of
  disabled people from EU/EEA Member States (full
  members)
• National councils outside the EU/EEA (observer
  members)
• Associations of or for disabled persons from all
  European countries operating at European,
  national or local level, and public and private
  organisations committed to respect and support
  the aims and objectives of EDF, and individuals
  interested in our activities (associate members).
  

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European Disability Forum

• How does EDF involve its members ?
• Addressing the concerns of EDF members and
  promoting their values
• Giving its members the benefits of a strong
  network
• Supporting a two-way communication flow in order
  to develop effective campaigns at EU and national
  level
• Giving the opportunity to EDF members to
  contribute to EDF work and campaigns at EU level
  through their ideas and experiences, and
  translating their contributions into concrete
  proposals to the EU decision-makers

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European Disability Forum

• How does EDF involve its members ?
• Supporting horizontal communication among EDF
  members
• Providing trainings to EDF members on specific
  areas
• Providing EDF members with regular information
  tools on the latest EU developments on disability
  issues
• Developing and involving EDF members in capacity
  building projects.

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs objectives 2004-2007
• A stronger and more cohesive disability movement,
  composed of both strong national and European
  disability organisations
• A significant improvement in the understanding of
  the rights based approach by all relevant
  stakeholders, but first and foremost by disabled
  people and their organisations
• Improved protection of the rights of disabled
  people via specific anti-discrimination
  legislation and positive action measures

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs objectives 2004-2007
• Improved mainstreaming of disability in all
  relevant policy areas
• A higher degree of enforcement of disability
  rights, as a result of more comprehensive and
  effective monitoring and reporting
• Greater awareness and commitment to disability
  rights and interests by other stakeholders,
  including trade unionsbusiness, employers, mass
  media, and local authorities

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European Disability Forum

• EDFs objectives 2004-2007
• Increased and more positive visibility and
  participation of disabled people and their
  organisations in all areas of life and in the
  work of all relevant stakeholders
• In obtaining all the previous objectives, to
  ensure that there are no groups of disabled
  people excluded from these developments.

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European Disability Forum

• EDF priority work areas 2004-2007
• Capacity building of disability organisations
  seminars and activities on non-discrimination
  directive, capacity building the Balkan region,
  local disability policy planning.
• Campaign for disability rights, including the
  implementation and progress of non-discrimination
  legislation, human rights, facilitating Court
  action

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European Disability Forum

• EDF priority work areas 2004-2007
• Mainstreaming of the disability agenda in
  specific areas such as
• EU action plan on the situation of disabled
  people in the Member States
• Employment, social policy and social security
• Structural funds
• Air, rail and maritime transport
• Built environment
•  

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European Disability Forum

• EDF priority work areas 2004-2007
• Mainstreaming of the disability agenda in
  specific areas such as
• Information society, telecommunications and
  assistive technologies
• Services of general interest
• Education, culture, media and sport
• Research and development
• Consumer policy and standardisation
• Development cooperation

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European Disability Forum

• EDF priority work areas 2004-2007
• Inclusion of specific groups ensuring that no
  groups of disabled people are excluded
• Building of alliances with key stakeholders,
  including employers, trade unions, media, local
  authorities, industry.

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European Disability Forum

• Relations between EDF and EU Institutions
• EDF maintains frequent contacts with all relevant
  Directorate Generals of the European Commission
  and has a particularly important dialogue with
  the DG Employment and Social Affairs and its
  Disability Unit as well as its anti-discrimination
  unit.
• EDF is funded for 80 of its activities by the
  European Commission in the framework of the
  community action programme on non-discrimination

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European Disability Forum

• Relations between EDF and EU Institutions
• EDF works in close cooperation with the
  Disability Intergroup of the European Parliament,
  a cross-party grouping whose mission is to defend
  the rights of disabled people within the European
  Parliament and towards the other EU institutions.
  

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European Disability Forum

• Relations between EDF and EU Institutions
• EDF works towards the Council of the European
  Union in cooperation with the National Councils
  of disabled people
• EDF is also in direct dialogue with the Permanent
  Representations of the Member States based in
  Brussels, as well as the Council secretariat
• Also, attention is focused on the Member State
  holding the Presidency of the European Union.

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European Disability Forum

• Relations between EDF and EU Institutions
• A regular dialogue is also maintained with the
  Economic and Social Committee and the Committee
  of Regions for all those issues affecting
  disabled people in the European Union.

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European Disability Forum

• EDF work at international level
• EDF is closely involved in the work of the
  Council of Europe, in particular with the
  Partial Agreement in the social and public
  health field in view of the adoption of an
  Action plan to promote the rights and full
  participation of people with disabilities in
  society Improving the quality of life of people
  with disabilities in Europe (2005-2015).

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European Disability Forum

• EDF work at international level
• Since the early stages of the drafting process of
  the UN Convention on the human rights and dignity
  of disabled people in 2001, EDF has been
  considered as a serious and valid interlocutor by
  the United Nations, government representatives
  and the other international NGOs involved in the
  process

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European Disability Forum

• EDF work at national level
• To monitor the implementation and transposition
  of EU legislation at national level
• To address non EU competence areas e.g.
  education, community living, social security and
  social protection, etc
• To support and organise disability leaders
  meetings at national level in order to create a
  better understanding of the national implications
  of EU legislation and policies and how they can
  be put in practice.

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European Disability Forum

• Lobbying our rights and our obligation
• Lobbying is vital for our organisations and the
  group we represent as the decisions made in
  Brussels affect the lives of more than 50 million
  disabled citizens in the European Union.
• Reasons for lobbying
• Influence the EU political agenda.
• Promote new initiatives and legislations.
• Monitor the implementation of the commitments
  made.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 1997 - Non-discrimination Article 13 of the EU
  Treaty
• The adoption of the non-discrimination Article 13
  of the EU Treaty was the result of an extensive
  campaign of the disability movement in 1996. This
  was a major step forward for disabled people and
  was the legislative basis leading to the adoption
  of a European directive on non-discrimination in
  employment and occupation in 2000.

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European Disability Forum
Concrete achievements in the past years

• Article 13 of the EU Treaty
• "Without prejudice to the other provisions
  of this Treaty and within the limits of the
  powers conferred by it upon the Community, the
  Council, acting unanimously on a proposal from
  the Commission and after consulting the European
  Parliament, may take appropriate action to combat
  discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic
  origin, religion or belief, disability, age or
  sexual orientation".

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• EU Directive on equal treatment in employment
  and occupation 2000/78
• The Directive prohibits discrimination in the
  field of employment on several grounds, including
  disability. Once properly implemented the
  Directive can act as a powerful tool, not only to
  combat discrimination but also to enhance
  disabled people's position in the labour market
  in general.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2000 - Disability references in the Charter of
  Fundamental Rights
• In 2000, the Council adopted the Charter of
  Fundamental Rights including two articles
  referring to disability resulting from an
  extensive lobbying campaign of the disability
  movement led by EDF.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2000 - Disability references in the Charter of
  Fundamental Rights
• Article II-21 Non-discriminationAny
  discrimination based on any ground such as sex,
  race, colour, ethical or social origin, genetic
  features, language, religion or belief, political
  or any other opinion, membership of a national
  minority, property, birth, disability, age or
  sexual orientation shall be prohibited.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2000 - Disability references in the Charter of
  Fundamental Rights
• Article II-26The Union recognizes and respects
  the right of persons with disabilities to benefit
  from measures designed to ensure their
  independence, social and occupational integration
  and participation in the life of the community.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2001 - Buses and coaches directive
• This legislation foresees that all new local
  buses and coaches should be accessible to people
  with reduced mobility, with visual and hearing
  impairments. This EU Directive should have been
  transposed in all member states by August 2003.
  Due to problems in several countries for the
  implementation of this legislation, EDF will
  closely monitor in cooperation with its members
  the proper implementation of this legislation
  with a direct impact on disabled people.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2003 - European Year of People with Disabilities
• The adoption of the non-discrimination Article
  13 in the EU Treaty led to the decision of the
  EDF Annual General Assembly in 1999 to propose to
  the European Union to declare 2003, the European
  Year of People with Disabilities. In 2001, the
  Council adopted the decision on the European Year
  of People with Disabilities in 2003.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2004 - EU Directives on public procurement
• In 2004, the EU adopted 2 Public Procurement
  Directives.
• The General Directive combines public supplies,
  works and services (2004/18/EC), and the
• Utilities Directive covers energy, water,
  transport and postal services (2004/17/EC).

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2004 - EU Directives on public procurement
• They have to be transposed into national
  legislation by 2/2006. If correctly transposed
  and implemented, this legislation would create
  further opportunities for employment of disabled
  people, and for accessibility of goods, and
  services purchased by public authorities, and of
  public works.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2005 - Specific regulation on air passenger
  rights with reduced mobility
• In February 2005, the European Commission tabled
  a proposal for a Regulation on the rights of
  passengers with reduced mobility when traveling
  by air which will prohibit discrimination against
  disabled air passengers.
• A Regulation is a legal instrument of the
  European Community which has direct legal effect
  in Member States without further enactment.
  Regulations can be relied on by individuals in
  national courts.

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European Disability Forum

• Concrete achievements in the past years
• 2005 - Specific regulation on air passenger
  rights with reduced mobility
• The Regulation will apply to all airlines
  (low cost and big name), all airports (public and
  private) and all passengers. The Regulation will
  protect all disabled people in all Member States
  of the EU against discrimination in air travel.

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European Disability Forum

• Thank you !