Over 150 disabled representatives from throughout the European Union will meet in Brussels on 8, 9 March 1997 to participate in the Founding General Assembly of a new, unique consultative body "The European Disability Forum (EDF)". The aim of the Forum is to advance disabled people’s human rights and promote equal opportunities in the EU Institutions in Accordance with principles of non-discrimination. The Forum unites over 80 representative European Non Governmental Organisation and National Disability Councils covering the whole spectrum of disability.

Barbara Schmidbauer, MEP Chair of the EP Inter group on disability and a driving force supporting the establishment of the Forum will open the meeting. Hywel Jones, Deputy Director General DG V will speak on "ciliv dialogue" as promoted by Commissioner Flynn and the European Commission’s co-operation with the European Disability Forum in the light of the Commission’s recently published Communication and the Council Resolution on Equality of Opportunity for people with a disability. Other key Commission officials MEPs will also be present to explore with Forum members priority work areas identified by the Forum during its first year of operation.

Of primary and immediate concern is the IGC Campaign to introduce a clause on non-discrimination in the revision of the Treaty of the European Union. The draft text presented by the Irish Council Presidency supports EDF’s call for legal status in the Treaty. Without it, 35 million disabled citizens and their families will continue to be ignored and discriminated against in EU legislation - numerous examples of this exist to date, including proposals on buses and coaches, lifts, currency harmonisation and driving licences. Sustained work on Treaty revision must continue until the Amsterdam Summit in June.

Other major work areas for the Forum in 1997 include the Reform of the Structural Funds; how to operationalise the notion mainstreaming, and the opportunities and threats of the Information Society for disabled people and their families.

Johan Wesemann, Chair of the European Disability Forum said "I am looking forward to our first meeting - it marks the start of an exiting new era in European disability politics, a new spirit of solidarity within our membership, and new partnerships with all actors responsible for ensuring full and equal participation of disabled people in the European Union".

[C & S] [ELEF Home]