On 6 May, the European Commission adopted the Communication “Enhancing the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities up to 2030”, updating the 2021-2030 Strategy for the Rights of persons with disabilities, at its halfway point.
Key points within the updated strategy include:
Support for the creation of national and local independent living centres, better monitoring of deinstitutionalisation processes in Member States.
Consideration of the occupational safety and health risks faced by workers with disabilities in the forthcoming Quality Jobs Act.
Commitment to study decision-making regimes and legal capacity legislation in the Member States.
Guidelines on procedural accommodation in accessing justice.
Commitment to publish a report on housing conditions of persons with disabilities across the EU.
An undertaking on quantifying the extra cost of living with a disability.
The European Disability Forum (EDF) has expressed disappointment with regards to some elements of the strategy including:
A lack of new legislative initiatives.
A lack of clear measures to meet the European Union’s obligation under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)
Too great a focus on studies, preparatory work and already foreseen actions than on adopting new legislative and funding initiatives.
The updated strategy is available at: https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/disability/enhancing-strategy-rights-persons-disabilities-2030_en
EDF’s position on the new strategy is available at: https://www.edf-feph.org/update-of-eu-disability-rights-strategy-lacks-ambition-to-advance-our-rights/
