A4-0044/97

Resolution on the Commission's communication on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities (COM(96)0406 - C4-0582/96)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission's communication (COM(96)0406 - C4-0582/96),

- having regard to its resolutions of 17 June 1988 on sign languages for deaf people ((OJ C 187, 18.7.1988, p. 236.)), of 26 May 1989 on the social situation of handicapped women and women who look after the handicapped ((OJ C 158, 26.6.1989, p. 383.)), of 16 September 1992 on the rights of mentally handicapped people ((OJ C 284, 2.11.1992, p. 49.)), of 14 December 1995 on the human rights of disabled people ((OJ C 17, 22.1.1996, p. 196.)), and 13 December 1996 on the rights of disabled people ((OJ C 20, 20.1.1997, p. 389.)),

- having regard to its declaration of 9 May 1996 on the rights of people with autism ((OJ C 152, 27.5.1996, p. 87.)),

- having regard to Council recommendation 86/379/EEC of 27 July 1986 on the employment of disabled people in the Community ((OJ L 225, 12.8.1986, p. 43.)),

- having regard to civic dialogue involving the Commission, Member States and disabled people or parents of disabled people who are unable to represent themselves,

- having regard to the Conclusions of the Council and the Ministers of Education meeting within the Council of 14 May 1987 concerning a programme of European collaboration on the integration of handicapped children into ordinary schools ((OJ C 211, 8.8.1987, p. 1.)),

- having regard to United Nations Standard Rules on the equalization of opportunities for persons with disabilities of 20 December 1993,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and Employment (A4-0044/97),

A. whereas there are 37 million disabled people in the European Union who do not enjoy full civil and human rights,

B. whereas disabled people have the right to live independently in society and to be integrated in economic and social activities,

C. whereas disabled people have the right to employment that does not discriminate directly or indirectly against them,

D. whereas Member States have the main responsibility for the implementation of disability policies,

E. recognizing the need for Europe-wide dialogue, exchange and dissemination of good practices in order to add value,

F. whereas mainstreaming will promote the integration of disabled people provided that specific measures are adopted on equal opportunities, that this new approach is pursued alongside a specific disability programme promoting equal participation and social and economic integration of disabled peopleand that discrimination against people with disabilities can be prevented and the quality of their life can be improved,

G. whereas Article 26 of the Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers, adopted by eleven Member States at the European Council in Strasbourg on 9 December 1989, states 'all disabled persons, whatever the origin and nature of their disablement, must be entitled to additional concrete measures aimed at improving their social and professional integration. These measures must concern, in particular, according to the capacities of the beneficiaries, vocational training, ergonomics, accessibility, mobility, means of transport and housing',

H. whereas free movement of persons must be guaranteed for all citizens of the European Union, including people with disabilities and those responsible for people with disabilities, in accordance with Community legislation,

1. Welcomes the philosophical shift contained in the Commission communication;

2. Seeks to establish in this respect a distinction in favour of organizations of disabled people (i.e. whose management body comprises 50 per cent disabled people or parents of disabled people who cannot speak for themselves) which should receive priority in European-funded projects, without excluding other disability-related projects and organizations;

3. Expresses its deep concern at the absence of a new disability programme and calls on the Commission to present a new action programme after the evaluation of HELIOS II, based on the philosophy of the UN Standard Rules;

4. Fears that, in the absence of such a follow-up programme, the structures established, particularly the very positive dialogue between organizations of disabled people and experts, might collapse;

5. Notes that NGOs agree on the need for a follow-up to HELIOS II aimed especially at equal opportunities and integration in order to further developments in these fields; believes that existing structures of cooperation built up in recent years need to be further enlarged;

6. Calls on the Commission, in the period before a new programme is agreed, to ensure pilot and preparatory actions in this respect, in particular with NGOs of disabled people;

7. Calls upon the Commission to submit proposals for a strategy for implementing the UN Standard Rules in all EU Member States;

8. Invites Member States to propose within the framework of the IGC an appropriate legal basis for social programmes based on qualified majority voting; invites them also to include a non discrimination clause on grounds of disability in the revised Treaty on European Union;

9. Calls on the Commission to take active measures within its mainstreaming approach to enable disabled people to participate in all relevant Community programmes, and to report to Parliament on progress on these measures;

10. Recognizes that disabled people have the right to influence policies that concern them and regrets the low level of involvement of disabled people; believes that the best way to achieve a higher degree of involvement is through financial support for the participation of European NGOs of disabled people, guaranteeing at least 50% representation by disabled people or parents of disabled people who cannot speak for themselves at all conferences, events and other activities organized by the Commission in relation to disability; expects this step to increase the added value of the European dimension;

11. Calls on the Commission to ensure the accessibility of new technologies and in particular information technologies within the regulatory framework for the information society; stresses the important opportunities offered by new technologies for wider access to employment and social integration when appropriately designed to meet the needs of sensory, mentally and physically impaired persons and recommends that a study be carried out to assess those needs precisely;

12. Calls on the Commission to take the initiative with a view to launching a Europe-wide model project to establish an electronic information and communication platform for people with disabilities and European organizations of disabled people (E-mail, web pages and discussion forums);

13. Supports the creation of a High Level Group to guarantee dialogue between the Member States and recommends that regular dialogue involving the European Disability Forum takes place at least three times per year;

14. Calls for stronger measures to actively involve disabled people in the Observatory using a model similar to the UN panel of experts for the Standard Rules;

15. Calls on the Commission to investigate what obstacles prevent people with disabilities from moving freely in the internal market and to submit proposals on ways of eliminating these obstacles;

16. Calls on the Commission to compile an overview of Member States' various models for creating jobs for people with disabilities;

17. Invites the Commission and the social partners to engage in constructive dialogue with regard to developing a joint position on good practice in the field of employment of disabled people and asks for special measures to be proposed aimed at preventing long-term unemployment;

18. Calls on the Commission to investigate how young people with disabilities are integrated into Member States' education systems; calls on the Council to ensure the implementation of its conclusions of 14 May 1987 referred to above that disabled children are entitled to non-discriminatory access to an integrated education and training system in all EU Member States;

19. Welcomes efforts to ensure that disabled people can access mainstreamed Structural Fund programmes and urges the Commission to consult fully with disability groups on reforming the Structural Funds;

20. Calls on the institutions of the European Union to set an example of good practice with regard to the appointment of disabled employees, instituting a quota for the number of disabled people appointed, giving priority to applicants over people who are not disabled where candidates are of equal merit, and incorporating appropriate precautions into its staff selection procedures with the aim of filling the quotas for numbers of disabled employees then set for the institutions of the European Union;

21. Calls on the Commission to submit a draft directive on the improved integration of disabled people in working life;

22. Expresses its concern about the accessibility of HANDYNET to disabled people and recommends that HANDYNET is placed on the Internet;

23. Recognises the benefit of consultation and exchange of information on good practices between the EU, EFTA, Central and Eastern European countries, Cyprus and Malta on disability policies;

24. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.