Mainstreaming horizontal principle Prevention of discrimination based on disability and accessibility Simona Giarratano, EDF Social Policy Officer, ESIF Structured Dialogue 3 rd Meeting, Brussels, 17 November 2015

EUROPEAN DISABILITY FORUM Represents 80 million persons with disabilities in Europe Organisation of persons with disabilities Umbrella organisation with national platforms and European federations National Council of Disability Organisations Represents the diversity of persons with disabilities, including persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities Promotes the human rights of persons with disabilities at European Union & international level

THE EUROPEAN DISABILITY FORUM Mission → Guarantees Fundamental Rights through an active participation of persons with disabilities Values → Human rights Equal opportunities Non-discrimination Gender equality Vision → A society that integrates persons with disabilities is a better society

THE EUROPEAN DISABILITY FORUM We make our voices heard at the level of the EU institutions We discuss with NGOs, industry and social partners We deliver the expertise of persons with disabilities to the EU decision makers On policy areas such as transport, ICT, social protection, employment, education, justice, fundamental rights and non- discrimination

Added Value of ESIFs European funding can make a difference in European countries for people with disabilities in improving accessibility, fighting poverty and social exclusion and increasing education and employment opportunities among, other things. New strong rules are in place now and EDF and its members are called to actively engage and fight for a correct implementation and monitoring of these rules in practice both at national and European level.

EDF & its members’ engagement Have your organization been involved in developing operational programmes, selection criteria, trainings, monitoring committees? What recent developments and actions happened in your countries about the new programming period of the Funds? Would you benefit from training and peer learning opportunities among EDF members? What key actions the EDF campaign should include and how can the secretariat support you in your countries?

EU RATIFICATION OF UN CRPD European Union ratified UN CRPD in 2010 first time in history EU is party to an international human rights treaty EU is bound to implement the CRPD together with its Member States (28 have signed and 25 have ratified) in many areas of shared competences such as transport, justice, security, consumer protection, non discrimination, public health matters, etc. 4 J u n e

European Level 1/2 Deinstitutionalisation During the EU review process by the UN CRPD committee, a lot of attention has been paid to the use of structural funds and the implementation of article 19 and the right to living independently in the community. Both positive and negative obligations were highlighted for the EU: on one hand, the use of the funds for developing community based services of high quality, accessible and affordable; on the other hand, to prohibit use of the funds for institutional segregating settings. EDF is very active in the European Expert Group on deinstitutionalization and other actors are collecting data and advocating for the implementation of the funds at this regard.

Partnership principle and conditionality EDF is continuously monitoring the implementation of the partnership principle and the ex-ante conditionalities within the European Structured Dialogue group of experts and of the Social Platform task force on the Funds. To fulfill its role to inform the European Commission of irregularity, EDF members can alert the secretariat every time a problem arises in their country European Level 1/2

The most important steps in the use of the Funds in the next years are now happening at national level. While some progress is made in involving organization of persons with disabilities in the monitoring of the funds, still the countries do not equip them with the necessary technical capacity to participate meaningfully in the process. Too many doubts still exist on compliance with the ex-ante conditionalities. Managing authorities are not fully aware of their obligations under the new rules especially in relation to the UN CRPD. National Level

PRECONDITIONS Capacity building of the representative organisations of persons with disabilities The representative organisations of persons with disabilities have to be consulted and involved throughout the preparation and implementation of programmes the representative organisations of persons with disabilities of all member states are included as partners mentioned in article 6 of Reg 1304/2013 & should receive appropriate amount of ESF for capacity building

PRECONDITIONS Participation of the disability movement in the whole process DPOs shall participate as full members with voting rights in the MCs of all OPs During the whole process of the implementation of the OPs, DPOs could operate as helpdesks in order to support the Managing Authorities and the potential beneficiaries to include non-discrimination based on disability principle and accessibility criterion in all TOs, axes, priorities and actions which are to be implemented. EU Funds have to support the operation of the helpdesk through the whole programming period

Follow up throughout the whole OPs’ lifecycle –Respect of the horizontal principle of non-discrimination and accessibility for pwd to be included in the selection criteria –The control of the implementation of those principles has to be ensured through all documents concerning the whole programmes’ lifecycle (call for proposals, decisions, final report of completion of the project etc). –with the participation of the disability organizations to that process. –The Managing Authorities’ annual progress reports of to include references to the respect of these criteria. –Compliance with ex-ante conditionalities has to be checked by the European Commission and reported.

Good Practices There is a limited number of good examples available of communication between DPOs and managing authorities (e.g. Belgium, Slovakia, …), about development of deinstitutionalization strategy in some countries (Latvia, Romania, …) and training of managing authorities and DPOs by organization of persons with disabilities (e.g. Greece).

Good Practice: NCDP, Greece It is noticed that in most cases Managing Authorities are not familiar with the specialization and incorporation of accessibility to persons with disabilities In that case specialized tools can be developed to support them. The Greek National Confederation of Disabled Persons (NCDP), being strongly involved in the mainstreaming of the horizontal principles concerning disability and accessibility for persons with disabilities even from the last programming period , has developed a precious know- how and methodology.

GOOD Practice: NCDP, Greece NCDP had technical meetings with MAs to know their specific needs on the implementation and mainstreaming of horizontal principles and ex-ante conditionalities as well as to propose the inclusion of targeted actions for pwd in the OPs NCDP will develop toolkit asked by MAs. NCDP organised training of all their members to contribute to MCs NCDP is also planning to develop a relevant Manual (in GR & EN) on how to engage in monitoring and implementation of ESIFs

EDF CAMPAIGN 1/2 Existing Actions Continuous engagement within the EEG group on transition from institutional to community based care. Continuous engagement within the Social Platform task force on ESIFs Continuous engagement in the European Structured Dialogue group of experts with the European Commission Support to members actions in their countries and transmission of related information to the European Commission

EDF CAMPAIGN 2/2 New actions Call for more members for the EDF Expert group on ESIFs Observatory on the use of the Funds Meetings with Commissioner Creţu and its services Training and peer learning opportunities among EDF members Explore synergies and collaboration with other partners active in this area

RESOURCES EDF Alternative report: feph.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=13854&thebloc=30 214http:// feph.org/Page_Generale.asp?DocID=13854&thebloc= EU report and the UN Committee List of Issues: /SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=982&Lang=en /SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=982&Lang=en Library with EDF position papers on

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