No C 257/32 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 9. 87 
(d) The Handynet project 
Coordination and further development of the Handynet project (European Community computerized 
information system on disability questions), in relation to vocational rehabilitation and employment, 
including the establishment of Handynet modules and gateways to other data bases in this field. 
The cost of coordinating and developing these elements of Handynet is estimated at 422 000 ECU in 
1988. The Commission may meet the full expenses of those activities which ensure the European 
dimension of the project, and, as the project proceeds and within the limits of its budgetary possibilities, 
may contribute to other participatory costs. 
(e) Coordination of exchange activities and documentation service 
Establishment of a group of experts responsible for assisting the Commission in the coordination, 
animation and evaluation of the exchange activities described above, and for the creation and operation 
of a documentation service for the benefit of the partners in these activities. This unit will also be 
undertaking similar tasks in relation to the social integration and independent living programme. 
The cost of operating this expert unit, as far as concerns vocational rehabilitation and employment, 
is estimated at 260 000 ECU in 1988, and the Community may contribute up to 100 % of the cost of 
this activity. 
(f) Preparation of policy proposals 
The Commission may establish the studies and organize the seminars necessary to form the basis of 
proposals or provide essential technical support to operations, in the field of vocational training and 
employment. 
The cost of studies and seminars to be undertaken in 1988 as a basis for proposals is estimated at 
40 000 ECU, with the Commission undertaking the full cost. 
Proposal for a Council Decision adopting an action programme at Community level to 
promote the social integration and independent living of people with disabilities 
COM(87) 342 final 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 24 July 1987) 
(87/C 257/03) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 
thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parlia­
ment, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the objectives of the Community include the 
accelerated raising of the standard of living of its citi­
zens; 
Whereas the present action programme is designed to 
contribute to that objective through the implementation 
of a number of specific actions to promote the social 
integration and independent living of people with dis­
abilities; Whereas the Council resolution of 21 January 1974 
concerning a social action programme (*) provides for 
inter alia the implementation of a programme for the 
vocational and social integration of handicapped per­
sons; 
Whereas the Council resolution of 27 June 1974 (2) 
establishing an initial Community action programme 
for the vocational training of handicapped persons 
defines rehabilitation as 'a whole set of measures aimed 
at establishing and maintaining the most satisfactory 
relation possible between the individual and his 
environment'; 
Whereas the resolution of the Council and of the rep­
resentatives of the Governments of the Member States 
meeting within the Council of 21 December 1981 (3) 
(') OJ No C 13, 12. 2. 1974, p. 1. 
(2) OJ No C 80, 9. 7. 1974, p. 30. 
(3) OJ No C 347, 31. 12. 1981, p. 1. 
28. 9. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 257/33 
established a first action programme to promote the 
social integration of disabled people which is now due 
for prolongation and development; 
Whereas the European Parliament, in its resolution of 
11 March 198111), stressed the need to promote at 
Community level the economic, social and vocational 
integration of disabled people; 
Whereas the guideline framework for positive action 
which is annexed to Council recommendation 86/379/ 
EEC of 24 July 1986 on the employment of disabled 
people in the Community (2) stresses the importance of 
'ensuring that disabled people live in an environment 
which makes it possible for them to benefit from further 
education and training and to make their full contri­
bution to the economy'; 
Whereas, in the field of disability, training and employ­
ment measures will be ineffective unless they are comp­
lemented by measures to ensure the necessary physical, 
personal and financial supports to independent living; 
Whereas the present action programme and the pro­
gramme adopted by [Council Decision ...] to promote 
the vocational rehabilitation and economic integration 
of people with disabilities are the two halves of a single 
Community action programme designed to build upon 
the previous Community actions in favour of disabled 
people; 
Whereas this action programme as a whole constitutes 
a positive response at Community level to the needs, 
aspirations and potential of the 30 million and more 
disabled people in the European Community, in the 
form of actions which cover all the services relevant to 
full integration and independent living; 
Whereas both parts of the integrated action programme 
are designed to ensure that the Community will be 
able to continue to contribute to the World Action 
Programme established by the United Nations in this 
field; 
Whereas the Treaty has not provided the necessary 
specific powers, 
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: 
Article 1 
The Community programme of action annexed to this 
Decision is hereby adopted for the period 1 January 
1988 to 31 December 1991. 
Article 2 
For the purpose of this programme, the term 'disabled 
people' comprises all those with long-term disabilities 
(of whatever severity) resulting from physical, mental 
or psychological impairments. 
(!) OJ No C 77, 6. 4. 1981, p. 27. 
(2) OJ No L 225, 12. 8. 1986, p. 43. Article 3 
The objectives of the action programme shall be as 
follows: 
(a) To establish and develop a common Community 
approach to the problems of social integration and 
independent living by means of the preparation of 
policy guidelines which concern practical issues and 
which are based on the best experience in Member 
States. 
(b) To coordinate and implement at Community level 
a number of activities aimed at fostering innovation, 
facilitating exchange of experience and encouraging 
the dissemination of good practice; these activities 
shall involve the direct participation of official 
experts, researchers, professionals working directly 
in the field, organizations of the social partners, and 
disabled people, their families and their representa­
tives. 
(c) To establish a system, using new information tech­
nologies, for the collection, updating and exchange 
of information concerning social integration and 
independent living; this system shall operate at 
Community level and shall be based on the devel­
oping information systems within Member States. 
(d) To explore means for applying the resources of the 
European Community in support of national efforts 
to promote the social integration and independent 
living of disabled people by means of new technol­
ogies. 
(e) To continue and where necessary extend Com­
munity support to the European cooperation of 
non-governmental organizations in this field. 
(f) To give particular attention to promoting the social 
integration and independent living of disabled 
women and of women with special responsibilities 
in caring for disabled children or adults in the home, 
and ensure close coordination in this regard with 
the Community medium term programme on 
equality of opportunity for women. 
(g) To ensure close and continuing coordination 
between this action programme and the actions 
designed to promote the educational integration of 
disabled children and young people in the normal 
education system. 
(h) To implement the policy priorities in the disability 
field which have been set out in the 1981 resolution 
on social integration. 
Article 4 
The Commission shall implement the programme in 
combination with the programme to promote the 
vocational rehabilitation and economic integration of 
people with disabilities, so as to form a single action 
programme for the period 1 January 1988 to 31 
December 1991. 
No C 257/34 Official Journal of the European Communities 28. 9. 87 
Article 5 
1. In performing this task, the Commission shall be 
assisted by an advisory Committee, composed of 35 
members, as follows: 
(a) two representatives per Member State, appointed 
by the Commission on the basis of proposals from 
the Member State concerned; 
(b) nine representatives of disabled people or of their 
families, appointed by the Commission on the basis 
of proposals from organizations invited by the Com­
mission to make proposals for that purpose; 
(c) one representative of organizations representing, 
employers, and one of organizations representing 
employees, each to be appointed by the Commission 
on the basis of proposals from organizations repre­
senting those interests at Community level. 
Members may be assisted by experts or advisers. 
2. The Committee shall be chaired by a representa­
tive of the Commission. The secretariat of the Committee shall be provided by 
the Commission. 
3. The Commission may consult the Committee on 
all questions concerning the implementation of the pro­
gramme. 
4. The Committee's discussions shall not be followed 
by a vote, but any member of the Committee may 
require that his or her views be entered in the minutes. 
5. The Committee's deliberations shall be confiden­
tial. It shall adopt its own rules of procedure. 
6. The Committee shall also assist the Commission 
in the implementation of the action programme to 
promote the vocational rehabilitation and economic 
integration of disabled people. 
Article 6 
The Commission shall report to the Council on the 
implementation and results of the action programme 
before the end of 1991. 
ANNEX 
SPECIFIC ACTIONS TO BE UNDERTAKEN BY THE COMMISSION IN THE EXECUTION OF THE 
COMMUNITY ACTION PROGRAMME TO PROMOTE THE SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND INDE­
PENDENT LIVING OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES (1988 to 1991) 
1. This action programme will be undertaken by the Commission on consultation with the Member States, 
the associations of disabled people and their families, the social partners, and the professional and 
voluntary bodies working in the field of disability. 
2. The activities undertaken within this programme will be coordinated by the Commission with those 
comprising the programme to promote the vocational rehabilitation and economic integration of people 
with disabilities in order to constitute a single combined action programme throughout the duration of 
the two. 
For the duration of the programme 1988 to 1991, the following measures may be implemented at 
Community level: 
(a) Networks of local projects 
The operation of two networks of nationally identified local projects focusing respectively on the 
coordination of services to the disabled and independent living, the projects being chosen by the 
Commission on the basis of proposals from Member States. 
The network activities organized by the Commission may include support for European conferences 
(in cooperation with national authorities); information, documentation and advice; study visits; and 
seminars for project leaders. In addition, the Commission may afford financial support to the 
coordination costs of projects in the network concerned with the coordination of services. 
The Community contribution to the operations of these two local project networks is estimated at 
588 000 ECU in 1988. Community support for European conferences will not exceed 30% of total 
costs up to a maximum of 25 000 ECU. Other Community-level activities (of the kinds described in 
the preceding paragraph) may be supported by the Commission at the rate of 100%. Community 
contributions to actual coordination costs within certain projects will not exceed 50 % of such costs, 
and will be subject to a maximum of 20 000 ECU per project per year; of the non-Community 
contribution to such coordination costs in each project, at least 50% should be supplied by public 
aid. 
28. 9. 87 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 257/35 
(b) Special action on independent living 
Establishment of a special programme to promote independent living, covering: mobility and transport; 
access to public buildings and facilities (including cultural and leisure facilities); and housing, including 
material and personal support to living in independent accommodation. Each year the Commission 
may offer a number of awards to completed projects recommended by Member States. Each year 
also, in cooperation with the national authorities of a Member State, the Commission may organize 
a conference and exhibition, at which award-winning projects will be presented. The proceedings of 
these conferences will be published in the Community languages. 
The Community contribution to this special programme is estimated at 440 000 ECU in 1988. Awards 
will not exceed 15 000 ECU per project. The Commission may contribute 80 % of the cost of the 
conferences, and 100 % of the cost of publication. 
(c) Subsidies to outside activities of European cooperation 
Operation of an annual scheme of grants to support activities of European cooperation undertaken 
by independent bodies, in particular associations of or for disabled people, and concerning social 
integration or independent living. Though the percentage of the Community's grant will not normally 
exceed 50 % of the cost of the activity, higher percentage grants may be given in special circumstances, 
in particular grants to associations which are being or have recently been formed for the first time at 
European level. 
Grants may contribute to the cost of preparation and of dissemination of results as well as to the 
events themselves. 
The Community contribution to these activities is estimated at 660 000 ECU in 1988. 
(d) The Handynet project 
Coordination and further development of the Handynet project (European Community computerized 
information system on disability questions). The Commission may complete and update the first 
module of Handynet, 'Handyaids', consisting of a European multilingual data base comprising an 
inventory of technical aids and a directory of public and private bodies concerned with all processes 
in the production and delivery of aids. In addition, the Commission may make progress in developing 
other modules of Handynet, and in establishing gateways to other data bases, concerned with social 
integration and independent living. 
The cost of coordinating and developing those elements of Handynet is estimated at 843 000 ECU in 
1988. The Commission may meet the full expenses of those activities which ensure the European 
dimension of the project, and, as the project proceeds and within the limits of its budgetary possibilities, 
may contribute to other participatory costs, which could include transmission costs. 
(e) Coordination of exchange activities and documentation service 
Establishment of a group of experts responsible for assisting the Commission in the coordination, 
animation and evaluation of all the exchange activities described above, and for the creation and 
operation of a documentation service for the benefit of all the partners in the various activities. This 
unit will also be undertaking similar tasks in relation to the vocational rehabilitation and economic 
integration programme. 
The cost of operating this expert unit, as far as concerns social integration and independent living, is 
estimated at 390 000 ECU in 1988, and the Community may contribute up to 100% of the activity. 
(f) Preparation of policy proposals 
The Commission may establish the studies and organize the seminars necessary to form the basis of 
proposals or provide essential technical support to operations, in the field of social integration and 
independent living. 
The cost of studies and seminars to be undertaken in 1988 as a basis for proposals is estimated at 
90 000 ECU, with the Commission undertaking the full cost.