Integration at the centre” “

“Europe must develop the necessary measures to combat exclusion”, said José Manuel Barroso , President of the European Commission, at a meeting held in recent days with a delegation of the Social Platform, composed of leaders of the three most important European NGOs, including the European Disability Forum (EDF). “Cohesion and social inclusion – Barroso recalled – are key elements for groups at risk of discrimination, such an people with disabilities”. The objective of the meeting was an exchange of views on the proposals of the European Commission in view of the Spring Council on the reform of the Lisbon Strategy. AGAINST EXCLUSION. The delegation of the NGOs, composed of the chairwoman of the Social Platform, Anne Sophie Parent and its director, Simon Wilson, Giampiero Alhadeff, general secretary of Solidar, and Carlotta Besozzi, director of the EDF, expressed to President Barroso their grave concerns about his proposed abandonment of the social and structural commitments of the Lisbon Strategy. “The European Commission must honour its pledge to become the defender of human rights and the leader in the fight against discrimination”, urged Carlotta Besozzi, who pointed out that “work and growth alone will not be enough to ensure the inclusion of discriminated groups such as that of the 50 million European citizens with disabilities”. The Forum further emphasized that “disability can rapidly lead to social exclusion, unemployment, insufficient education and poverty” and asked Barroso to “implement the necessary measures to ensure social inclusion and non-discrimination in the 25 countries of the EU, in conformity with the new European Constitution and the Charter of Fundamental Rights”. President Barroso said in reply: “It is a fact that economic growth, employment and social cohesion are not automatically linked”. “The European Union must have the necessary will and consequent measures to develop social cohesion in Europe. I ask the member states to reflect on this crucial issue, particularly during the revision of the EU financial prospects”, he added. Besozzi then grasped the opportunity to describe to Barroso some of the questions close to the heart of the European disability movement. She emphasized in particular “the need to support policies of non-discrimination with positive actions to ensure equal opportunities for all European citizens, the need to develop measures to support people with disabilities and their families, as demonstrated by the national action plans on social inclusion, and the need to ensure a coordinated approach between social inclusion and economic policies and employment”. The meeting with Barroso followed that between the EDF and the European Commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities, Vladimir Spidla who reiterated that “disability is a fundamental area toward which European policies need to be addressed”. This is a commitment appreciated by the EDF, whose chairman Yannis Vardakastanis has urged “the Commissioner to become ambassador for the disabled in the new Commission to defend and guarantee their rights”. This was Spidla’s first meeting with the Forum and served for an exchange of views on future measures to combat exclusion and discrimination”. The Commissioner’s intention is to present, before the end of 2005, a so-called “Strong Plan” to the Commission, which would outline in detail the condition of the disabled in Europe. In this regard, the EDF said it was willing to engage in regular meetings and dialogue with Spidla. A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTARY GROUP. A special cross-party group of MEPs, wedded to the cause of the disabled, has been formed in the European Parliament. It is the Disabled Persons Intergroup (www.edf-eph.org/apdg/index-en.htm), composed of some 110 MEPs from almost all 25 member states who met for the first time in Strasbourg on 27 October 2004. The aims of the group include the application of the Directive on equality of treatment, the defence of the rights of the disabled in terms of transport and a Green Paper on discrimination. To raise awareness of issues relating to the world of the disabled, the group has created a news bulletin; the last is no. 17 of January-February 2005. The report of the Commission evaluating the results of the European Year of the Disabled in 2003 should also be mentioned. It can be consulted on the website http://europa.eu.int/employment_social/disability/year_en.html Meanwhile, a seminar on anti-discrimination legislation in support of the disabled is planned in Maastricht on 28 March. A conference and an exhibition (“Vision 2005”), devoted to the visually handicapped, are due to be held at Westminister (England) from 4 to 8 April.