Renew Europe calls for swift implementation of the new EU Disability Rights Strategy

Only a truly inclusive Europe will be a Renewed Europe. With 20 per cent of citizens in the Union living with some kind of disability, the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament is working intensely to ensure that people with disabilities can experience full social and economic inclusion on an equal basis with others and live free from discrimination. Renew therefore calls for a swift implementation of the measures presented in the ten-year Strategy for Disability Rights presented by the Commission on Wednesday, in order to ensure that all citizens in the EU enjoys the life chances that is everyone’s right. Renew will also continue to work directly with people with disabilities and their representative organisations to ensure their voices are heard in this implementation.

MEP Dragoș Pîslaru, Renew Europe Coordinator of the Employment and Social Affairs Committee, says:

"With the new digital and technological solutions we have at our disposal, we really have no more excuses to delay guaranteeing the rights of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. Transforming this strategy into reality lies in our hands. We must intensify our work on all levels, from EU level down to civil society and all assume the responsibility of including the rights of people with disabilities in every single plan we design, every action we take, every goal we set to achieve."

MEP Radka Maxová represented the group in the drafting of the European Disability Strategy post‑2020 adopted in June last year and is the co-author of Renew Europe’s position paper together with Mr Pîslaru, says:

"The new EU Disability Strategy will help us to close the gap between the EU’s disability policy and the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We must ensure that diversity is appreciated in all aspects of life, and that no matter where you live in Europe, everyone gets to enjoy an inclusive labour market and education system, has access to the digital world as well as to buildings, transport systems and communications, and so on. It’s time for the European Union to lead by example."