On 28 March 2023, a delegation from the European Disability Forum met the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, to discuss initiatives concerning employment and social inclusion of persons with disabilities. EDF highlighted that employment rates of persons with disabilities are persistently low, whilst poverty rates continue to be high. Additionally, barriers to employment were discussed, including the inflexibility of social protection systems, stereotyping of workers with disabilities and inaccessible training and support schemes. During the meeting, the EDF delegation also called for specific actions in relation to:
• The need for a “Disability Employment and Skills Guarantee” in line with the Youth Guarantee, to provide funding and support for equal access to mainstream education, training and employment opportunities
• The need to stop the use of EU funds for institutional settings, including refurbishment and maintenance of these settings
• The importance of disability-related support to be independent of employment status or other sources of income
• How to ensure all persons with disabilities can receive the support they need in their private lives and at work (e.g. reasonable accommodation)
• The need for the European Semester to be used for the continuous improvement of the social and economic situation of persons with disabilities. A full write up of the meeting and issues discussed is available at:
A number of the issues discussed in relation to employment and social protection reflect issues identified in Alzheimer Europe’s Dementia in Europe Yearbook 2022, available at:
