1. EU Strategy on Disability Integration of people with disabilities into the labour market Erik Somelar European Commission Directorate General Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Integration of People with Disabilities Unit (G3) 24 February 2010

2. Definition of disability and interpretation of data There is no common European definition of the term disability. Every country has a unique definition which might even vary in different policy areas (disability benefits, employment services, insurances etc.) In the LFS ad hoc module people were asked if they have "a long standing health problem or a disability". National labour statistics follow their own definitions. As they are different than in other member states, employment figures of the national registers are not comparable. Also, in some countries people do not register as disabled even though they could as the disability benefits are not relevant. In other countries, people are desperately trying to get a disability status as the benefits are rather valuable. In some countries, disability is the only exit strategy for older workers who want to leave the labour market and it is silently tolerated by government and social partners.

3. KEY FIGURES Proportion and inferred number of EU citizens with disabilities or long-standing health problems, age 16-64 Population 2008*497481657 % Considerably restricted6,3% % to some extent restricted4,1% Total restricted %10,4% Total inferred restricted citizens 200851 738 092 % LSHPD (not restricted)5,2% Total LSHPD (not restricted)25 869 046 % of population, Restricted+LSHPD15,6% Inferred total restricted+LSHPD in 200877 607 138 Sources: LFS ad hoc module 2002, EU-24 *EUROSTAT provisional estimation, 1 January 2008

4. KEY FIGURES

5. Disability and ageing:  63% of people with disabilities are older than 45.  33,5% of people in the age group 55-64 report a disability and the incidence of disability will increase as the EU population gets older. Among young people (16-25), the figure stands at 7,3%. People with disabilities continue to be disproportionately excluded from the labour market  50% of people with disabilities are employed, compared to 68% of non disabled persons. Among the 55+ group is 15% versus 45%.  Only 15.9 % of working disabled persons are provided with some assistance to work. At the same time, 43.7 % of respondents believe they could work if they were given adequate assistance. Additional disadvantage of women with disabilities: Access to education: Women (61% with disabilities versus 85% without); Men (65% with disabilities versus 83% without)

6. DISABILITY STRATEGY AT THE EU LEVEL Disability policies are essentially the responsibility of individual Member States Why a disability strategy at the EU level ? People with disabilities have similar concerns throughout the entire European Union, face the same obstacles, experience the same discriminations, share the same hopes and fears. European Community policies and actions impact in many ways on situation of people with disabilities The goal of the EU Disability Strategy is a society open and accessible to all The ultimate objective of all disability related activities at the European Union level is to promote equal opportunities and to facilitate access to rights for all people with disabilities.

7. INSTRUMENTS AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE EU Legislation Mainstreaming Funding Mobilising stakeholders through dialogue

8. LEGISLATION EC Treaty (Amsterdam, article 13) Horizontal legislation (Directive 2000/78/EC - anti discrimination in employment and occupation) Sector legislation (Regulation 1107/2006 - transport by air; art 16 Regulation 1083/2006 - Structural Funds; ) United Nations Convention on Rights of Persons with disabilities Disability is a rights issue and a matter of law INSTRUMENTS AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE EU

9. MAINSTREAMING Ensuring that disability issues are taken into account in all policies, at every stage of policy making (Regulation 1083/2006- structural funds) FUNDING Structural funds New PROGRESS programme : - funding of running costs of disability NGOs - studies, research on disability related issues MOBILISING STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH DIALOGUE Nothing about people with disabilities without people with disabilities INSTRUMENTS AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE EU

10. The European Disability Action Plan 2003-2010 Four pillars:  EU ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION AND MEASURES: Providing access to individual rights  MAINSTREAMING OF DISABILITY ISSUES: Mainstreaming in order to facilitate active inclusion of disabled people.   ACCESSIBILITY: Elimination of obstacles preventing disabled people from exercising their abilities.  MOBILISING STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH DIALOGUE: “Nothing about people with disabilities without people with disabilities”. (1) MS, (2) people with disabilities, (3) civil society representatives and (4) other stakeholders.

11. Directive 2000/78 on equal treatment in employment and occupation Even though the specific needs of people with disabilities are primarily addressed through national policies, the EU directive against discrimination (EC/2000/78/EC) constitutes an important step forward in the fight against discrimination which in certain Member States has required major changes to existing rules. This Directive had to be implemented in all Member States by December 2006 at the latest. Article 5: Reasonable accommodation for disabled persons In order to guarantee compliance with the principle of equal treatment in relation to persons with disabilities, reasonable accommodation shall be provided. This means that employers shall take appropriate measures, where needed in a particular case, to enable a person with a disability to have access to, participate in, or advance in employment, or to undergo training, unless such measures would impose a disproportionate burden on the employer. This burden shall not be disproportionate when it is sufficiently remedied by measures existing within the framework of the disability policy of the Member State concerned.

12. Proposal for a Council Directive on equal treatment between persons, irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, outside of employment Complementing the legal framework of Directive 2000/78/EC Strengthening inclusion of persons with disabilities in society will raise their participation in labour market: Education – learning skills for work Transport – getting from home to work ICT – being better equipped at work

13. UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol The rights recognised by the Convention cover almost all policy fields, including work and employment (Article 27) The Convention not only recognises the right to work, but also sets out the measures needed for the full implementation of this right, e.g.: –Prohibit discrimination –Ensure reasonable accommodation in the workplace –Ensure effective access to vocational training –Promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the private sector through appropriate policies such as action programmes, incentives and other measures –Promote opportunities for self-employment, entrepreneurship In the area of employment there are mixed competences between EC and MS (all the MS and the EC signed the UN Convention)

14. Preparation of the new European disability strategy Analysis of the UN Convention (content and actions) –Clarify obligations (for EC and MS) –Identify actions (concrete measures) –Responsible services in EC Analysis of the Council of Europe Action plan –Identify actions (ongoing in MS) –Mapping and comparing with the UNC Evaluation of the current Disability Action Plan –Ongoing relevant actions –Successful instruments –Outputs

15. Elements in the new disability strategy Implementation UNC: –Implementation thematic level –Implementation at formal level –Coordination –focal point –independent mechanism –Monitoring: –Statistics –Indicators and targets with dates –UNC report Thematic Actions for: –European Commission actions –Possible common actions at National level –Support implementation of the UN Convention requires. –EU institutions –Civil society

16. Public consultation on new European Disability Strategy 4 November 2009 – 4 January 2010 on Your Voice in Europe http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=disabilitystrategy3&lang=en General questions on respondents profile Individual Organisation Disabilities General statements comparing situation of persons with disabilities with general population Identification of problems

17. Public consultation on new European Disability Strategy Areas covered: Accessibility Employment Education Healthcare Free movement Independent living, institutionalisation and services in the community Participation in political and public life Participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport Adequate standards of living and social protection Liberty and dignity Governance: Coordination and management Role of the EU: (Legislation, Targets, indicator, Monitoring and evaluation, Financial support, Research and development, Awareness, public procurement,…)

18. Public consultation on new European Disability Strategy Ten thematic areas, each in two parts: Opinion on usefulness for each section of: –Actions, Measures –Initiatives –… Identification of organisations contributing –EU –National governments –Regional/ local government –NGOs, including disability NGOs –Private sector Space of free comments

19. Public consultation on new European Disability Strategy A total of 336 responses were received: –69.9% from individuals –30.1% (or 101) on behalf of different organisations –Additionally, 9 organisations sent separate contributions Profiles of contributors –Almost 50% of the individual respondents are PwD, further 16% are family members or non-paid carers and 8% take care of PwD as a job –organisations predominantly NGOs representing PwD, but also enterprises –country of origin for replies: Germany (23.4 %), UK (23%), Belgium (7.2%), France, Ireland and Italy (5.1% each). Discrimination is evident –79.4% agreed or strongly agreed that persons with disabilities face discrimination in their everyday activities because of their disabilities –43.5% of individual respondents indicated that they had experienced problems because of their disabilities –further 44.9% had indirect experience, through friends or family

20. Public consultation on new European Disability Strategy The role of the EU – which instruments are suitable: –the EU should do “more” or “much more” in all thematic areas –from 74% of respondents in leisure and sports to 86% in accessibility –65.5% supported using a combination of mainstreaming and specific policies, 75% did not consider mainstreaming alone to be sufficient. –disability-friendly public purchasing the most supported instrument with 92% "suitable" or "very suitable" ratings –financial support for local projects and research received "suitable" or "very suitable" from respectively 83.6% and 82.4% –financing NGOs "suitable" or "very suitable" for 81.2% of responding organisations or 76.5% of all respondents –information campaigns found "suitable" or "very suitable" by 80% –Legislation to harmonise disability-related objectives across Member States enjoyed 78.6% support; helping the MS to exchange information and best practice seen as "suitable" or "very suitable" by 86.1% of respondents –targets and indicators found "suitable" or "very suitable" by 76.2% - same measure supported by 77.7% in the “Governance” section