Brussels, April 22 2008

Dear President,

It is with great satisfaction that I am writing to you, following public announcements made by your services that a proposal for a European directive fighting discrimination against disabled people will be proposed to the College of Commissioners at the end of June as part of a comprehensive “social package”.

This is the best response that you, together with commissioner Vladimir Spidla, could give to the “1million4disability” campaign that European Disability Forum has led over last year, and that has gathered the support of more than 1 364 984 citizens including prominent national and European politicians, representatives of a wide variety of civil society organisations, trade unions, and heads of state. It is also very significant as it is the first citizen’s initiative that is followed up by the European Commission, even before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty. All citizens will rejoice at your decision, as it sets a positive example of democratic dialogue between the European Commission and the people of Europe.

EDF had been campaigning for a disability specific directive since 2000. In 2003, at the closing of the European Year of People with Disabilities, the European Commission, while stating that the time was not ripe, announced that there would be a disability specific directive.

This directive is also a first significant step in the process of implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that the European Commission is about to ratify, as non discrimination is a prominent element in this new binding human rights instrument, which covers civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights.

EDF would like to express its gratitude and support for such an important initiative, which will contribute to strengthening non discrimination acquis, and to establishing a strong link between disability, non discrimination and human rights, across the European Union.

Until today, too many citizens with disabilities have remained among the most invisible and neglected, segregated in institutions or even in their homes; they have been denied access to education, employment, transport, social or health services, they have been unable to access information, watch television, to go to cinemas and restaurants as any other citizen...

A European legislation will allow persons with disabilities to have access to the same rights across the EU, and to benefit for the first time from free movement rights, from which they have been so long deprived.

Fifty million disabled persons across Europe and their families are looking forward to an ambitious and effective legislation tackling rights of disabled people in all areas of life, able to create change and making the EU the most advanced region for disability rights. EDF has drafted a proposal for legislation with the support of legal experts, published on our website. We are at the disposal of your services for further contributions.

It is also critical that such legislation adequately addresses the situations of multiple discrimination, in which all disabled people may find themselves, regardless of their age, sex, religion or belief, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. EDF is also calling on all EU institutions to move forward the debate on legislative measures that will strengthen provisions fighting discrimination on all grounds of Article 13.

EDF is also calling on the Council of the EU, the member states who will be called to decide on such a proposal, and the European Parliament that has supported a disability specific directive in so many statements, resolutions and reports over the last seven years, to carry forward such disability legislation, which will undoubtedly bring citizens closer to the European Union.

Yannis Vardakastanis
President of the European Disability Forum