15.

INVITE THE MEMBER STATES AND THE COMMISSION, in accordance with their respective competences, and in line with the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality and better regulation, to pursue further progress in the above-mentioned eight areas for action by taking the necessary and adequate steps, including the following: (a) General policy (i) promote the ratification and application of the UN Convention so as to foster positive changes in attitudes towards persons with disabilities, and adapt EU and national legislation, where necessary, when implementing the Convention; (ii) where appropriate and to the extent necessary, strengthen efforts to periodically collect EU level statistics on the situation of persons with disabilities; (iii) make appropriate use of existing EU financial programmes and funding for implementing the proposals for action, without prejudice to the negotiations on the future financial framework; (iv) consider disability issues when designing the National Reform Programmes and more generally promote disability mainstreaming within the Europe 2020 Strategy; (b) Accessibility (i) support appropriate efforts to improve accessibility to goods and services, especially the built environment, transport, and information and communication, including technologies and services in all relevant areas, by considering stimulating the market through public procurement and by considering the possible need to develop coherent requirements based on European standards; (ii) encourage the incorporation of accessibility and universal design in educational curricula and training for all relevant professions and occupations, in particular in the fields of engineering and architecture; (c) Participation (i) promote the independence of persons with disabilities and their inclusion in the community, in particular by developing a range of in-home, residential or other community support services responsive to their needs and in accordance with the opportunity to choose, on an equal basis with others; (ii) ensure equal access to political participation including the European elections; (iii) promote communication and information, including in accessible formats, so as to raise awareness and improve the participation and social inclusion of persons with disabilities; (d) Equality (i) promote and protect the dignity of persons with disabilities, continue to combat discrimination against persons with disabilities and to review the existing legal framework on protection against discrimination on the grounds of disability, where appropriate, both at national and European level; (ii) promote the exchange of good practices within the High Level Group on Disability and, in this context, focus in particular on experience concerning the implementation of the UN Convention at Union and Member States level; (e) Employment (i) promote the acquisition of transferable knowledge and skills by persons with disabilities, in an attempt to facilitate their integration and progression on the open labour market; (ii) promote the employment of persons with disabilities by utilising existing social provisions in public procurement as well as state aid in accordance with the applicable rules; (iii) support research into and promote the use of assistive technologies, with a view to promoting the employment of persons with disabilities; (iv) aim to increase the employment opportunities of persons with disabilities including persons with reduced working capacity and develop cooperation in the context of the labour market, including, for example, supported and, where necessary, sheltered employment, and in the context of social protection and educational systems; (f) Education and training (i) support relevant initiatives aiming to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to quality education and training on an equal basis with others, so as to increase their knowledge, skills and qualifications in order to promote their mobility and employability; (ii) promote the exchange of good practices, including comparative studies, with regard to support and assistance for persons with disabilities, with a view to improving their access to the education system at all levels, including, for example, by using assistive technologies; (g) Social protection (i) give particular attention to the needs of persons with disabilities in the context of the voluntary European quality framework for social services adopted by the Social Protection Committee on 6 October 2010; (ii) ensure social protection of persons with disabilities by developing and/or maintaining protective measures, taking into account the general economic situation and its effect on persons with disabilities; (h) Health improve equal and effective access to quality health care, including by removing inequalities as well as by supporting early screening for health condition in the prevention of disabilities, in accordance with the respective competences of the Member States, and by providing disability awareness training to health professionals and, where appropriate, by developing tailored health services for persons with disabilities; (i) External action promote the rights of persons with disabilities and enhance the visibility of disability matters as a human rights issue in external actions, including in EU enlargement, neighbourhood and development programmes as well as in emergency and humanitarian aid, and support the implementation of the UN Convention by third countries;