Disability organisations lobby for protection
By Marit Ruuda
Disability organisations are calling for the new EU Constitution to ensure that all legislative measures concerning non-discrimination of disabled people are adopted by qualified majority voting instead of the current unanimity system.
During an exceptional two-day meeting in Brussels the "European Parliament of Disabled People" (EPDP) laid down several demands to ensure the proper integration of disabled people into European society.
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"What better contribution to a social Europe can there be than an EU-wide protection against discrimination for Europe's disabled people", said Yannis Vardakastanis, the president of the European Disability Forum.
European Parliament President Pat Cox assured the 300 delegates that the EPDP event has left MEPs with the duty to "follow up and deliver".
Among other key things that the EPDP wants, is to make sure that the upcoming European Parliament elections are more accessible for people with disabilities, and for disabled candidates.
28 countries were represented when the European Parliament hosted the European Parliament of Disabled People for the second time. The event marked the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Standard rules on the rights of disabled people, as well as the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003.