REPORT on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

29.10.2025 - (2025/2057(INI))

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs
Rapporteur: Rosa Estaràs Ferragut

Amendments

• 001-001 (PDF - 108 KB)
• 001-001 (DOC - 41 KB)
• 002-005 (PDF - 109 KB)
• 002-005 (DOC - 42 KB)

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

(2025/2057(INI))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union, in particular Articles 2 and 3(3) thereof,

– having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Articles 2, 9, 10, 19 and 216(2) thereof,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Articles 3, 6, 8, 11, 15, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 35, 40 and 47 thereof,

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which entered into force for the EU on 22 January 2011 in accordance with Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and which was ratified by the EU on 23 December 2010 and by all Member States individually,

– having regard to the UN Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD, which has been ratified by 22 Member States, and to the General Comments on the UNCRPD and the concluding observations issued by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the EU, in particular on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union, published on 21 March 2025,

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 June 2023 entitled ‘A comprehensive approach to mental health’ (COM(2023)0298),

– having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), proclaimed and signed by the Council, Parliament and the Commission on 17 November 2017, and to the Commission communication of 4 March 2021 entitled ‘The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan’ (COM(2021)0102) and its proposed 2030 headline targets on employment, training and reducing poverty,

– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 March 2021 entitled ‘Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030’ (COM(2021)0101),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2024/2841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities[1],

– having regard to Council Directive (EU) 2024/1499 of 7 May 2024 on standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment between persons irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, equal treatment in matters of employment and occupation between persons irrespective of their religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, equal treatment between women and men in matters of social security and in the access to and supply of goods and services, and amending Directives 2000/43/EC and 2004/113/EC[2],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1057 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and repealing Regulation (EU) No 1296/2013[3],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 laying down common provisions on the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund Plus, the Cohesion Fund, the Just Transition Fund and the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund and financial rules for those and for the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, the Internal Security Fund and the Instrument for Financial Support for Border Management and Visa Policy[4] (Common Provisions Regulation),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services[5] (European Accessibility Act),

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies[6],

– having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/782 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 on rail passengers’ rights and obligations[7],

– having regard to Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare[8],

– having regard to Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation[9],

– having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008)0426) and Parliament’s position of 2 April 2009 thereon[10],

– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2025 entitled ‘The Union of Skills’ (COM(2025)0090),

– having regard to the Commission communication of 9 December 2021 entitled ‘Building an economy that works for people: an action plan for the social economy’ (COM(2021)0778),

– having regard to the Commission notice of 20 March 2024 entitled ‘Guidance on independent living and inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities in the context of EU funding’ (C(2024)7897),

– having regard to the Commission staff working document of 6 December 2023 entitled ‘Guide of good electoral practices in Member States addressing the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process’ (SWD(2023)0408),

– having regard to the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD Committee) of 2 October 2015 on the initial report of the EU, to the list of issues submitted by the UNCRPD Committee of 20 April 2022, prior to submission of the second and third periodic reports of the European Union, and the concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union of the UNCRPD Committee of 21 March 2025,

– having regard to European Court of Auditors special report 20/2023 of 12 October 2023 entitled ‘Supporting persons with disabilities – Practical impact of EU action is limited’,

– having regard to Council Recommendation (EU) 2021/1004 of 14 June 2021 establishing a European Child Guarantee[11],

– having regard to the Commission guidance notice of 29 November 2024 on independent living and inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities in the context of EU funding[12],

– having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy and the EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights,

– having regard to the briefing entitled ‘The EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 – Achievements and perspectives’, published by the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Internal Policies in November 2024,

– having regard to the study entitled ‘Targeted measures for persons with disabilities to cope with the cost-of-living crisis’, published by its Directorate-General for Internal Policies in November 2023,

– having regard to the study entitled ‘Disability assessment, mutual recognition and the EU Disability Card – Progress and opportunities’, published by its Directorate-General for Internal Policies in November 2022,

– having regard to the study entitled ‘The Post-2020 European disability strategy’, published by its Directorate-General for Internal Policies in July 2020,

– having regard to the study by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Eurofound) of 25 October 2024 entitled ‘Paths towards independent living and social inclusion in Europe’,

– having regard to the Eurofound policy brief of 21 March 2022 entitled ‘People with disabilities and the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from the Living, working and COVID-19 e-survey’,

– having regard to the Eurofound research report of 19 April 2021 entitled ‘Disability and labour market integration: Policy trends and support in EU Member States’,

– having regard to the Eurofound policy brief of 30 November 2018 entitled ‘Social and employment situation of people with disabilities’,

– having regard to its resolution of 13 December 2022 towards equal rights for persons with disabilities[13],

– having regard to its resolution of 4 October 2022 on AccessibleEU Centre in support of accessibility policies in the EU internal market[14],

– having regard to its resolution of 7 October 2021 on the protection of persons with disabilities through petitions: lessons learnt[15],

– having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2021 on the implementation of Council Directive 2000/78/EC establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation in light of the CRPD[16],

– having regard to its resolution of 8 July 2020 on the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and their families in the COVID-19 crisis[17],

– having regard to its resolution of 18 June 2020 on the European Disability Strategy post‑2020[18],

– having regard to the World Health Organization European Framework for action 2022-2030 to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities 2022-2030, and in particular to the barriers faced in accessing and utilising healthcare services, as well as the objectives, targets and specific actions,

– having regard to its resolution of 4 October 2023 on harmonising the rights of autistic persons[19],

– having regard to the European Disability Forum manifesto adopted during the fifth European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities on 23 May 2023,

– having regard to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) of 11 May 2011, which entered into force for the EU on 1 October 2023,

– having regard to the report of 2 August 2022 of the fifteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and to the note by the Secretariat to the fifteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,

– having regard to the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action,

– having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU[20],

– having regard to its resolution of 29 November 2018 on the situation of women with disabilities[21],

– having regard to Rule 55 of its Rules of Procedure,

– having regard to the opinions of the Committee on Public Health, the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality and the Committee on Petitions,

– having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (A10-0211/2025),

A. whereas, on 3 March 2021, the Commission put forward the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 (the strategy) with the aim of promoting equal opportunities and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Europe and around the world;

B. whereas the strategy contained a number of actions and flagship initiatives for the period up until 2024, the majority of which have been completed; whereas the current strategy runs until 2030 and requires new and ambitious flagship initiatives and concrete actions to continue delivering on the EU’s commitments to ensure the rights of persons with disabilities;

C. whereas in 2023, according to Eurostat estimates, 27 % of the EU’s population over the age of 16 had some form of disability, amounting to 101 million people or one in four adults in the EU;

D. whereas the strategy forms the policy framework for the implementation of the UNCRPD; whereas the strategy is also part of the implementation of the EPSR, in particular principle 17 on the inclusion of persons with disabilities;

E. whereas the UNCRPD recognises the right of persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others, choose freely, be accepted and work in an open, inclusive and accessible work environment;

F. whereas persons with disabilities in all their diversity are entitled to enjoy their fundamental rights on an equal basis with others; whereas the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life and society is crucial for the enjoyment of their fundamental rights;

G. whereas, as recognised in the Commission communication on the Union of Skills, persons with disabilities continue to face persistent challenges accessing quality jobs and training, with existing programmes often falling short in terms of adequately addressing their needs and lack sufficient flexibility and practical measures to ensure accessibility in all sectors of employment; whereas persons with disabilities or chronic diseases can require individualised support and workplace adaptation;

H. whereas persons with disabilities’ equal access to employment is often hindered by barriers in both the workplace and the built environment, limiting the opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in the open labour market;

I. whereas among the working-age population (20-64 years), gender disparities remain substantial, with 46.8 % of women with disabilities being economically inactive compared to 42.9 % of their male counterparts[22];

J. whereas every child with a disability has the right to education on equal terms with other children in their community; whereas to achieve this, it is vital that Member States ensure tailored assistance for the individual needs of children with disabilities in line with Article 24 of the UNCRPD and the European Child Guarantee and, importantly, accessible digital tools used in education; whereas children with disabilities continue to face many barriers due to a lack of qualified teachers and staff, reasonable accommodations, accessible school buildings and curricula that take into account the particular needs of learners with disabilities;

K. whereas persons with disabilities face barriers to accessing traineeships, including lack of reasonable accommodations, inaccessible physical and digital environments, and the risk of losing disability allowances; whereas tailored support and inclusive traineeships are crucial for their transition to quality employment;

L. whereas educational materials are often not fully accessible to persons with disabilities, such as persons who are blind or visually impaired; whereas the lack of accessible learning content is a key driver of educational disadvantage and contributes to persistent inequalities in access to further education, training, and employment opportunities;

M. whereas the digital transformation should benefit all citizens equally; whereas previous studies have demonstrated that the proportion of individuals without access to a computer decreases significantly with higher levels of education; whereas similar patterns are observed regarding digital skills and internet connectivity; whereas statistics for the EU-27 in 2022 indicate that only 81.2 % of persons with disabilities used the internet in the past 12 months, compared to 93.4 % of persons without disabilities, highlighting a persistent digital divide that must be addressed to ensure full inclusion and equal participation in the digital society;

N. whereas only 51.3 % of active, working-age persons with disabilities in the EU are in paid employment, significantly lower than the 75.6 % of persons without disabilities; whereas the resulting ‘disability employment gap’ stands at 24.4 % with some Member States having even lower percentages than the average; whereas the employment rate of young persons and women with disabilities in the EU is particularly low, at only 47.4 % and 49 % respectively; whereas there is a 21.5 percentage point gap between the employment rates of young people with and without disabilities;

O. whereas in 2023, 28.84 % of persons with disabilities lived in or were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.04 % of persons without disabilities; whereas persons with disabilities face a disproportionate risk of homelessness as well as additional physical, financial and informational barriers to accessing affordable and sustainable housing of adequate quality;

P. whereas persons with disabilities experience significantly higher rates of mental distress compared to adults without disabilities; whereas targeted, inclusive interventions, programmes and policies that facilitate access to timely mental health screening, appropriate care, and comprehensive support services, including inclusive education, supported employment and quality jobs, social participation, and protection against discrimination and violence, are essential to effectively reduce mental distress and promote overall well-being among persons with disabilities;

Q. whereas persons with non-visible disabilities, including neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders, are often excluded from eligibility criteria and support mechanisms due to a lack of visible impairments;

R. whereas participation in cultural, educational and sporting life is a fundamental right and an essential element of social inclusion, personal development and well-being for persons with disabilities;

S. whereas in the EU-27 in 2022, only around 20 % of persons with disabilities aged 25 to 64 participated in education and training over the previous 12 months, compared to 26.7 % of persons without disabilities, revealing a persistent gap in access to lifelong learning; whereas this gap hinders the development of skills and employability among persons with disabilities and undermines the EU’s ambition, set out in the EPSR Action Plan, to ensure that at least 60 % of all adults participate in training each year by 2030;

T. whereas persons with disabilities have higher unmet medical needs, poorer self-reported health status, and higher mortality than persons without disabilities; whereas persons with disabilities continue to face systemic and structural barriers in access to universal, affordable healthcare, such as discriminatory practices, inaccessible services, and exclusion from preventive, reactive, sexual and reproductive, and mental healthcare; whereas persons with disabilities have the right to reach the highest possible attainable state of health without discrimination;

U. whereas an estimated 1.4 million children and adults with disabilities under the age of 65 are residing in segregated institutions and whereas 13 EU Member States have more persons with disabilities in institutions now than they did 10 years ago;

V. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU; whereas women are disproportionately impacted by certain disabling conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis; whereas women’s symptoms are often normalised or dismissed, leading to delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment; whereas women with disabilities face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, including limited access to education, employment, healthcare and justice, as well as high rates of violence, including domestic violence and forms of violence specific to disability, with women with disabilities being two to five times more likely to experience violence than women without disabilities, including gender-based, sexual and domestic violence and disability-specific forms of violence such as forced sterilisation[23] and forced abortion; whereas 34 % of women with health problems or disabilities have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by a partner at some point in their lifetime[24]; whereas such violence leads to severe health consequences, psychological trauma and social and economic exclusion; whereas, in this regard, current measures to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including victims of crime – particularly minors – are often inaccessible or fail to provide the necessary adequate and reasonable accommodations;

W. whereas research has shown that specific vulnerable groups face substantially increased risks of sexual violence; whereas according to a growing number of large-scale studies, women with disabilities are at significantly higher risk of experiencing sexual violence than women without disabilities; whereas such violence leads to severe health consequences, psychological trauma, and social and economic exclusion, and constitutes a grave violation of women’s rights;

X. whereas only 20 % of women with disabilities in the EU work full time while 48 % of women without disabilities work full time, creating a substantial employment disparity for women with disabilities in the EU;

Y. whereas, according to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, legal provisions in some Member States strip persons with disabilities of their voting rights;

Z. whereas older persons with disabilities face specific challenges resulting from the intersectional discrimination linked to both age and disability, highlighting the interconnection of ageism and ableism and the need for targeted policies to address their unique situations;

AA. whereas the situation of persons with disabilities is shaped by intersectional factors, including gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, ethnicity, religion or belief, national origin and migration status, which can amplify discrimination and exclusion and must be explicitly addressed in all policies;

AB. whereas the protection and promotion of the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities must be ensured across the Union; whereas the EU and its Member States share responsibility in areas such as employment, transport and the single market, while in areas such as health, social protection, education and culture, the EU mainly supports the actions of the Member States; whereas the Member States are responsible for designing their own disability policies in line with their obligations under the UNCRPD and EU rules; whereas the UNCRPD is the first human rights convention to which the EU itself has become a party and whereas the EU is also bound by its provisions;

AC. whereas the announcement of the intention to withdraw the proposal for a horizontal anti-discrimination directive in the Commission’s 2025 work programme was a matter of great concern; whereas this withdrawal would have been a significant setback for the ‘Union of Equality’;

AD. whereas the transposition deadline for the European Accessibility Act was on 28 June 2022; whereas, however, there are open proceedings against all Member States either for late transposition or for omitting to transpose the directive despite post-deadline warnings, or for partial or incorrect transposition; whereas the Commission decided to refer Member States to the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to incorporate the European Accessibility Act into national law in July 2024; whereas this corroborates a need for coordinated action across the Commission to better monitor the implementation of existing laws and policies in the Member States and their impact on the lives of persons with disabilities[25];

AE. whereas in the Council’s recommendation of 2021for a European Child Guarantee , Member States are recommended to adapt their national strategies to guarantee access to key services for children in need, particularly taking into account children with disabilities;

AF. whereas the European Court of Auditors assessed in a special report published in October 2023 whether the Commission had taken effective action to support persons with disabilities, and concluded that the ‘practical impact of EU action was limited’ and that ‘the key indicators had not significantly improved’[26];

AG. whereas the majority of assistive products and prototype equipment falls outside the scope of the Medical Devices Regulation[27], creating legal uncertainty and safety risks; whereas a dedicated framework would bridge the regulatory gap without overburdening the production of low-risk aids;

AH. whereas, following the adoption of Directive (EU) 2024/2841establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking card for persons with disabilities, the Member States have until 2028 to ensure the full operational implementation of the European Disability Card and European Parking Card for persons with disabilities;

Assessment of the implementation of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 and main challenges faced by persons with disabilities

1. Acknowledges that the strategy sets EU objectives and priorities for action in several policy areas including employment, education, non-discrimination and social protection; notes that the strategy addresses most of the shortcomings identified in the 2010-2020 European disability strategy; calls on the Commission to put forward a common EU-wide definition of ‘disability’ in line with the UNCRPD, to help ensure that all EU citizens with all kinds of disabilities are granted equal rights;

2. Notes that the Commission has completed six out of seven flagship initiatives (AccessibleEU, the European Disability Card, Guidance on independent living and inclusion in the community, the Disability Employment Package, the Disability Platform, renewed Commission human resources strategy); calls on the Commission to come forward with new flagship initiative proposals for the remainder of the strategy’s tenure;

3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities – particularly women and girls with disabilities and persons with high support needs – still face considerable barriers when it comes to respect for their fundamental rights, acknowledgement of their disabilities throughout the EU, equal and inclusive access to justice, public and political life, healthcare and care, transport and digital services and infrastructure, freedom of movement, independent living and accessible housing, education, training and skills development, employment, social inclusion and adequate standards of living, and recognises that intersectional discrimination leads to additional barriers; highlights that many persons with disabilities also lack access to the necessary community-based services and personal assistance that would enable them to live independently and be included in the community, as enshrined in Article 19 of the UNCRPD and reaffirmed in the European strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030;

4. Recognises the importance of community-based services for persons with intellectual disabilities, especially their role in supporting their right to be included and live independently; underlines the need for sufficient investment in such services;

5. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life and increased social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, and persons with disabilities – particularly those with high support needs – therefore continue to face a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion; recognises that women with disabilities face additional challenges and barriers to entering and remaining in the labour market;

6. Notes that Directive (EU) 2024/2841 on the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities does not guarantee the mutual recognition of disability status but only recognises that card holders enjoy the same access to its benefits as national card holders for a period of no longer than three months, except in the case of participation in an EU mobility programme in another Member State; underlines also that it does not ensure the portability of social security benefits and services for persons with disabilities among Member States, thus failing to fully guarantee the right to freedom of movement on equal terms with others;

7. Underlines that it remains necessary to continue efforts to address the remaining gaps relating to the free movement of persons with disabilities and the mutual recognition of disability rights across the EU, in particular faster disability assessment, assistance and protection when moving from one Member State to another; recalls the Commission’s obligation to assess such gaps under Article 20.3 of Directive (EU) 2024/2841 and encourages it to deliver the assessment as soon as possible;

8. Underlines that, to reach the EU targets of reducing the number of persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 15 million, it will be necessary to increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities, notably through support measures to facilitate access to jobs in an open labour market, including support for employers and persons with disabilities, and the promotion of work-based learning and apprenticeships together with the implementation of reasonable accommodation measures in the workplace; calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the issue of disproportional under-representation of persons with disabilities in the labour market by introducing specific measures, including adequate incentives and support measures for employers and companies that recruit persons with disabilities, and enforceable public and private sector workplace quotas for persons with disabilities, taking into account the capacity of micro and small companies and in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity; stresses the need to promote the employment of persons with disabilities also within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and through self-employment, by means of targeted incentives and training paths tailored to the needs of persons with disabilities;

9. Is deeply concerned by the ample evidence that reveals the continuing plight of persons with disabilities who are often unable to fully avail themselves of their EU rights; is concerned that, despite progress at policy level, persons with disabilities are left behind in many aspects, continue to experience exclusion in various domains of life and are often deprived of equal access to everyday freedoms and mobility enjoyed by other EU citizens, such as their right to full political participation, including due to the persistence of discriminatory legal provisions in Member States that still prevent them from voting or engaging fully in political life and limit the accessibility of electoral processes, education and housing, which are key drivers of social and professional integration; recognises that intersectional discrimination leads to additional barriers in contravention of the principles enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UNCRPD; stresses that an updated EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities must tackle all the obstacles they face;

10. Is concerned that some groups of persons with disabilities are at greater risk of being victims of multiple and intersectional discrimination and violence; calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the specific challenges, rights and needs of these persons to ensure their fundamental rights are respected, and to guarantee their access to victim support services, protection measures and mechanisms for reporting violence;

11. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received insufficient attention, such as equal access to social protection, healthcare and care services, transport, education, digital accessibility, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission under the strategy; stresses that policies should not exclusively focus on labour market activation; calls on the Commission to urgently develop new flagship initiatives addressing neglected areas such as accessible housing, healthcare, education, in-work poverty and digital services, and to implement robust measures to combat multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination; calls on the Commission to closely monitor the correct transposition and implementation of both existing and future EU legislation that affects the rights of persons with disabilities, and to ensure that Member States fully comply with these obligations;

12. Calls on the Commission to undertake a comprehensive mid-term evaluation of the strategy, including a detailed report of the flagship initiatives implemented in each Member State and a comprehensive review of all Union legislation, policies and practices to ensure their compatibility with the UNCRPD and to establish mechanisms to ensure that all new legislative and policy proposals adhere to the Convention, in line with its UNCRPD obligations; stresses that the effective implementation of disability rights depends on the systematic and meaningful consultation of organisations representing persons with disabilities at all stages of policymaking at EU and national level, and calls for improved frameworks to guarantee this participation; underlines the urgent need for disaggregated data collection by gender, age, type of disability, and rural or urban location, to better assess progress and tailor policies that address the specific needs of persons with disabilities across different groups;

13. Calls on the Commission to include clear and measurable targets and indicators in the updated strategy in order to reinforce the monitoring of its implementation by the Member States;

14. Calls on the Commission to propose a directive on minimum income that establishes minimum standards for coverage, accessibility, adequacy, enabling characteristics, as well as automatic adjustments in line with the cost of living; underlines that such a directive is a crucial element in safeguarding the quality of life of women with disabilities at risk of poverty and social exclusion;

Call for an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

15. Stresses that, given that the specific actions and measures contained in the strategy ended in 2024 and considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024; calls on the Commission, in close cooperation with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, therefore, to put forward an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030 without delay and to include new and ambitious flagship initiatives and concrete actions in line with the recommendations of this report and the recent concluding observations of the UNCRPD Committee to address remaining gaps; calls on the Commission to place greater emphasis on the fight against discrimination and hate speech against persons with disabilities;

16. Believes that the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 should aim at improving all existing participatory mechanisms at EU level concerning legislation, policy and programming, by making them fully representative of persons with disabilities, ensuring that they are accessible to persons with disabilities and that all participants are fully informed about the consultations and their time frames, modalities and outcomes;

17. Calls on the Commission to include concrete and binding measures, including legal instruments, where appropriate, in the updated strategy to ensure uniform protection of disability rights across the Union;

18. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation, where relevant, especially by supporting civil society and organisations representing persons with disabilities and disability service providers through funding grants under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV), ensuring robust cohesion funding, along with maintaining the horizontal and thematic enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD supported by effective mechanisms to monitor and evaluate their implementation; calls on the Commission to explore solutions such as dedicated earmarked funding lines specifically targeting the inclusion of persons with disabilities, to guarantee that sufficient resources are allocated to their rights and inclusion;

19. Stresses that the upcoming ESF+ should continue to prioritise independent living and the transition from institutional care to community-based care, and facilitate home support and personal assistance schemes; calls for the ESF+ to deliver on the European disability rights strategy 2021-2030, and in particular to facilitate the implementation of the upcoming Framework on Social Services of Excellence for Persons with Disabilities, the EU Guidance on Independent Living and Inclusion in the Community and the Disability Employment Package;

20. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the post-2024 update of the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities is drafted in coordination with the upcoming EU gender equality strategy, the EU anti-poverty strategy, as well as the post-2025 EU anti-racism action plan and the post-2025 LGBTIQ equality strategy; emphasises the need for these frameworks to integrate an intersectional approach into policymaking, to propose further actions and flagship initiatives, and to specifically address the poverty and social exclusion experienced by women and girls with disabilities;

21. Calls on the Member States to implement measures to compensate for the extra cost of living faced by persons with disabilities and to counter their heightened risk of in-work poverty; to that end, strongly encourages the Member States to maintain disability allowances regardless of employment situation, marital status or inheritance and to review their tax structures and state supports to ensure that persons with disabilities are not disadvantaged or disincentivised from taking up employment;

22. Calls on the Commission to guarantee in the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 a commitment to full transparency and full public access to documents and information concerning ongoing and closed EU pilot and infringement procedures, so as to ensure full understanding of actions by the EU institutions and Member States’ authorities to solve violations of EU law that undermine the rights of persons with disabilities; notes that this disclosure is also beneficial for the follow-up of open petitions;

23. Stresses that the updated strategy post-2024 must include measurable targets, clear timelines, and dedicated EU funding to ensure effective implementation, rather than relying solely on national voluntary measures;

Accessibility

24. Calls for the European accessibility centre AccessibleEU to be strengthened through the creation of a dedicated permanent regulatory agency to support the implementation and monitoring of accessibility legislation in the EU and to promote a more accessible Europe; underlines the need to ensure the full and effective implementation of current legislation aimed at promoting the equal participation of persons with disabilities in society, such as the European Accessibility Act, through regular monitoring;

25. Calls for the research and development of new technologies, including medical devices, and AI tools, to ensure accessibility, and for the participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of design, development and implementation of technologies, following the co-creation principles, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination; recalls that persons with disabilities continue to face systemic barriers in accessing essential digital services, for example e-government, telehealth, online banking, digital education and consumer platforms;

26. Recalls the need for an EU directive regulating the use of algorithms for managing, monitoring and recruiting workers that would address the risks of discrimination that candidates and employees with disabilities often face from AI algorithms;

27. Calls on the Commission to support the expansion of independent, non-profit assistive technology (AT) centres across EU Member States to improve access, inclusion, and independence for persons with disabilities, build EU capacity through knowledge exchange, good practice sharing, training, and implementation support to develop and sustain these centres, which should provide tailored and unbiased services;

28. Calls on the Commission to develop legislation to guarantee a true single market for assistive devices and technologies, ensuring availability and affordability for persons with disabilities, tackling the issue of national certification schemes preventing persons with disabilities from accessing the assistive devices and technology best suited to them and establishing a joint mechanism for the mutual certification of relevant assistive devices and technologies across Member States, as well as supporting research on innovative assistive solutions to ensure persons with disabilities benefit from emerging technologies;

29. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the full and timely implementation and enforcement of the Web Accessibility Directive[28] and the European Accessibility Act; urges the Member States to go beyond the minimum legal requirements, setting ambitious national standards and policies for digital accessibility; stresses that it is also necessary to ensure access to essential services offline; reminds the Commission to fulfil the ambitions set out in the web accessibility action plan, and calls for the EU institutions to update communication policies and citizens’ engagement platforms to ensure the application of web accessibility standards for everybody with disabilities, including deaf persons, across all EU institution websites and online platforms; calls for a post-2025 web accessibility action plan;

30. Urges the Member States to ensure accessible healthcare communication for deaf, hearing-impaired, and deafblind persons, including the provision of sign language interpreters, real-time captioning and support technologies in all public health facilities, in line with Article 25 of the UNCRPD and national legislation;

31. Highlights that persons with disabilities, especially older persons with disabilities, face increased financial exclusion due to inaccessible banking services and infrastructure; therefore calls for action to counter stigma, promote inclusive service design, provide financial education, and guarantee the availability of accessible in-person banking services at no extra charge; highlights that persons with disabilities, especially older persons with disabilities, face a higher risk of falling victim to online scams, therefore insists on the importance of reinforcing accessible technological literacy to enhance their protection;

32. Calls for the full implementation and strengthening of the European Accessibility Act, including the extension of its scope to cover all relevant goods and services in the single market, ensuring equal access for all consumers, and clear EU guidelines on universal design and inclusive access modes in services; stresses the importance of ensuring that digitalisation, including in banking and public services, does not reduce accessibility for persons with disabilities; highlights that persons with disabilities, especially older persons with disabilities, face increased financial exclusion due to inaccessible banking services and infrastructure, and higher risk of falling victim to online scams; therefore calls for action to counter stigma, promote inclusive service design, provide financial education, guarantee the availability of accessible and free of charge in-person banking services as well as reinforcing accessible technological literacy to enhance their protection;

33. Recognises the importance of early detection and coordinated prenatal and postnatal care, including medical and social support, and highlights the need to reinforce the EU4Health programme, of which access to diagnosis is a key component; calls on the Member States and the Commission to strengthen and harmonise newborn screening programmes to ensure early detection and timely intervention in the case of rare diseases and conditions that may lead to lifelong disabilities; calls on the Commission to collect and publish integrated and disaggregated data on families with dependent children with disabilities, including variables such as household composition, per capita income, officially recognised degree of disability and publicly supported dependency-related expenditure, in order to be able to develop more targeted support measures; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to promote national frameworks that guarantee free and timely access to essential therapies for children and young adults with disabilities, including speech therapy, physiotherapy, mental health therapy and occupational therapy;

34. Recognises the lack of legal requirements for accessible labelling of products and goods sold in the single market and underlines that persons with disabilities should have access to all the necessary product information to allow them to make informed purchasing decisions; calls for a comprehensive study of possibilities for such accessible labelling while recognising that different needs are associated with different types of disabilities;

35. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the Member States render their emergency communications – especially answering calls to the single European emergency number 112 – accessible through both real-time text and total conversation, as part of their obligations under the European Electronic Communications Code[29], the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/444[30], and the European Accessibility Act;

36. Highlights the need to fully apply accessibility criteria already enshrined in EU legislation and to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats; stresses the importance of ensuring that the revision of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006[31] strengthens passenger rights and introduces enforceable provisions to prevent discrimination against and mishandling of mobility equipment; insists that the forthcoming single digital booking and ticketing regulation must comply fully with EU accessibility standards and guarantee the passenger rights of persons with disabilities and ensure the safety, dignity and autonomy of persons with disabilities throughout the entire travel experience across all Member States to ensure freedom of movement;

37. Calls on all EU institutions, including the Commission, Parliament and the Council and EU Agencies, to render their information and official interactions fully accessible to all persons with disabilities, including through international sign language together with solutions such as automatic speech-to-text;

38. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all information related to public services, health, education, employment and EU-funded programmes is made fully accessible to all persons with disabilities;

39. Calls for the establishment of clear sanctions and penalties for public authorities and private actors that fail to meet EU accessibility obligations, to guarantee that rights are effectively upheld;

40. Stresses the need to find an ambitious agreement on Regulation (EC) No 261/2004[32] on air passenger rights; notes, furthermore, that international organisations, such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), are working on global accessibility guidelines for the aviation sector; calls on the Commission, in its role as ad hoc observer to the ICAO, in coordination with the Member States, to actively and consistently prioritise the issue of the rights of persons with disabilities and the need for universal accessibility, with a view to establishing binding minimum standards;

41. Urges the Commission to revise Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 on the accessibility of rail infrastructure for persons with disabilities[33] in order to address and prevent the persistent challenges and discrimination faced by persons with disabilities when travelling within the EU;

42. Underlines that the swift implementation of the European Disability Card and European Parking Card should be accompanied by improved accessibility of transport infrastructure and public transport; stresses, in particular, the importance of ensuring that transport-related facilities, including service stations and rest areas along highways, are equipped with accessible facilities for persons with disabilities, including persons with high support needs; calls on the Commission to revise and harmonise accessibility standards for public transport, including rural and cross-border mobility, and to ensure full participation of disability organisations in the design, monitoring and evaluation of such systems;

43. Highlights that segregation in access to mainstream education for children with disabilities remains a challenge across the EU; calls on the Member States to ensure accessibility of education for children with disabilities, both in terms of physical infrastructure and educational resources, in order to guarantee equal opportunities for all pupils; highlights the potential of affordable assistive technologies and artificial intelligence in improving inclusive teaching methods for pupils with disabilities, by providing tailored educational support, adaptive learning tools and improved communication; encourages the Member States to invest in the development and deployment of these technologies, while ensuring that teachers are properly trained to integrate them into their teaching practices; further calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure robust safeguards against the misdiagnosis of Roma children as having mental disabilities or special educational needs, and to prevent the misuse of such diagnoses as a tool for educational segregation; stresses the importance of non-discriminatory assessment practices, as well as inclusive education policies that uphold the rights and dignity of all children; highlights the need for enhanced accessibility of built environments, including education infrastructure;

44. Calls on the Commission to recognise invisible disabilities that bring about long-term and substantial limitations; calls for the publication of a toolkit on invisible disabilities, in line with the strategy’s commitment to accessibility, inclusive health, employment and participation in society;

45. Stresses the importance of inclusive planning for patient pathways, treatment and integrated long-term care, particularly for individuals affected by chronic diseases such as migraines, diabetes, mental health conditions, cardiovascular, rheumatic, musculoskeletal, kidney and respiratory diseases, and cancer; calls on the Commission to undertake additional research to quantify the impact of disabilities and chronic diseases on European productivity and competitiveness, and to officially recognise chronic illnesses and long-term health conditions as forms of disability under EU non-discrimination law when functional limitations persist; recalls that collective bargaining agreements are vital tools for retaining workers with chronic diseases; calls for workplace adjustments for persons working with chronic or incurable diseases, and for adequate support for persons facing financial hardship due to such diseases or treatment thereof;

46. Calls on the Commission to develop guidelines and a dedicated support programme that provides for recommendations, best practices and tools to assist Member States in leveraging public procurement procedures and State aid to improve labour market outcomes for persons with disabilities; underlines that this should include support for the transition from sheltered to regular employment, as well as the promotion of good working conditions and the protection of labour rights for workers in sheltered workshops; underlines, additionally, that accessibility requirements should be integrated across relevant EU funding instruments and procurement practices;

Enjoying EU rights

47. Welcomes the Commission’s guide on good electoral practices in Member States addressing the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process, published in 2023 ahead of the 2024 European elections; asks the Commission to assess the results of the 2024 European elections and to take the necessary legislative initiatives to ensure the equal right to vote and to stand for election of persons with disabilities; calls on the Member States to remove all discriminatory legal provisions and practical barriers that continue to prevent persons with disabilities from exercising their right to vote and to participate fully in political life, resulting in the under-representation of persons with disabilities in politics;

48. Welcomes the Commission’s decision not to withdraw the horizontal equal treatment directive from its 2025 work programme so as to fill the remaining gaps; urges the Commission to build on Parliament’s position and continue its efforts to achieve a Union of Equality and unblock this file; urges the Member States to reach a compromise agreement as soon as possible; reaffirms its support for proposals on anti-discrimination legislation to protect the right to equality of persons with disabilities in all areas of life;

49. Calls on the Commission to propose specific actions to support Member States’ efforts to transition from substitute decision-making to supported decision-making for the exercise of legal capacity, and to support training on supported decision-making for persons with disabilities, public officials, families, service providers and relevant stakeholders;

50. Calls for plenary debates in Parliament to be made available in International Sign Language in order to increase the participation of persons with disabilities in EU democratic processes, together with solutions such as automatic speech-to-text software;

51. Calls for the ESF+ to boost the effective implementation of the European care strategy in all Member States by investing in quality community-based and home care services and infrastructure, long-term care and support for persons with disabilities and quality early childhood education and care through community-based, child- and person-centred, high-quality, affordable and accessible public care systems that promote the autonomy of persons in need of care as well as their dignity and that of carers; calls for further investment in support for carers, both formal and informal, while at the same time ensuring decent working conditions for workers in the care sector, including adequate salaries, via a care deal; calls on the Member States to make full use of ESF+ funds to reinforce and finalise the deinstitutionalisation process so as to ensure that everybody can live in a family or community environment;

52. Urges the Commission to ensure that accessible, timely and effective complaint and redress mechanisms are made available and accessible to persons with disabilities in cases of employment discrimination or unlawful dismissal; stresses the need for legal aid and procedural accommodations in tribunals and national authorities;

Decent quality of life and independent living

53. Recognises that persons with disabilities encounter obstacles in accessing education and employment; calls for the Union of Skills and cohesion funds to enable greater investment in inclusive education, adaptations and accessibility in digital and vocational training, as well as to provide support in the transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodations in the workplace, including flexible working conditions and return-to-work programmes; highlights the need to actively work towards a transition from sheltered workshops to open labour market employment; calls for the promotion of inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory learning environments at all levels of education, lifelong learning and skills in accordance with Article 24 of the UNCRPD; believes that workers in sheltered workshops should at least receive adequate minimum wages and those specified in the collective agreements applicable to the sector; insists that these facilities be adequately equipped to provide professional counselling and training to their workers;

54. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all flagship initiatives and actions under the Union of Skills are inclusive of persons with disabilities and have a strong disability and gender equality dimension;

55. Insists on the importance of enhancing young persons with disabilities’ participation in mobility programmes such as Erasmus+, the European Solidarity Corps, DiscoverEU and European Universities Alliances, and in studying abroad in general;

56. Stresses that new distance learning and e-learning systems should be designed in an accessible manner and not replace in-person education, and that children should receive the support and accessible transport required to attend school, in line with Article 24 of the UNCRPD; calls on the Commission to reinforce the provision of inclusive education by developing EU guidelines to support Member States in establishing coherent policy and legislative frameworks, moving away from segregated education systems, and ensuring reasonable accommodations, training, teacher support and curricular adaptation to ensure inclusive education from early childhood education and care through to higher education;

57. Recalls the provision of Article 5 of Council Directive 2000/78/EC regarding reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities; acknowledges the work of social partners in engaging in collective bargaining and social dialogue to negotiate and implement measures for reasonable accommodations in the workplace for persons with disabilities; calls on the Commission to strengthen the family and informal carer dimension of the European Disability Strategy post-2024 through a new flagship initiative that would include EU-funded actions aimed at facilitating access for informal carers and family members with disabilities to community and in-home support services, non-segregated housing, respite care, training and guidance;

58. Recognises that disability entitlements are fundamental support systems providing for the additional costs associated with disabilities; calls on the Member States to ensure the continuity and compatibility of such entitlements with wages and to guarantee that the lump sum of disability-specific welfare allowances are equal in value to at least the minimum wage envisaged in the relevant Member State, in order to maintain a decent quality of life;

59. Recognises the importance of the precautionary principle, as enshrined in the EU’s occupational safety and health acquis, which makes it mandatory for employers to conduct a risk assessment of the workplace and implement preventive measures to ensure safety and health at work; calls on employers to comply with their obligations regarding the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases, as established under the European occupational health and safety legislative acquis, including consultation with trade unions and adherence to the hierarchy of preventive measures; recognises that collective bargaining and social dialogue remain indispensable in supplementing these preventive efforts; reminds that collective bargaining agreements are vital tools for retaining workers with disabilities and chronic diseases and for preventing occupational health risks; stresses that disability caused by occupational accidents should be included in this updated Strategy, aligned with the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work, with a special provision for the creation of an occupational risk insurance fund in the Member States; notes that, among other things, this fund should cover hospitalisation, medication, rehabilitation, disability aid tools, disability entitlements and compensation for accidents at work;

60. Calls on the Commission to establish an EU-funded employment and skills guarantee for persons with disabilities, without age restrictions, drawing inspiration from successful initiatives such as the Youth Guarantee, aimed at increasing the participation of persons with disabilities in the open labour market and facilitating access to employment, training and further education, and to ensure that all programmes are fully accessible and designed to support the transition from sheltered employment to regular employment, including guaranteeing the right of persons with disabilities to reasonable accommodation measures, where relevant;

61. Considers that this guarantee should be developed in close consultation with organisations representing persons with disabilities to ensure effective inclusion and prevent any form of discrimination or exclusion; considers that for this initiative to be successful, it is necessary to adopt a holistic approach including the mapping of beneficiaries and available services, outreach measures, personalised support towards employment, as well as strong cooperation with and incentives for private and public sector employers;

62. Underlines that persons with autism and other neurodevelopmental conditions face one of the highest rates of unemployment in Europe, standing at 90 %; calls for autism-specific employment programmes to be made available to ensure positive action recruitment programmes and to lead to tangible employment opportunities;

63. Calls on the Commission to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal access to paid and quality traineeships and apprenticeships and to propose a plan to develop the skills of persons with disabilities through internships, through targeted outreach, through mentorship schemes and through accessible application processes, as well as reasonable accommodations, including adaptations to physical and digital work environments, flexible training schedules and personalised support, particularly for those who rarely benefit from positive internship programmes, such as persons with intellectual disabilities; stresses that no one should be excluded on account of accessibility barriers or penalised by the loss of disability allowances or essential support; underlines that inclusive traineeships must form part of the transition pathways to quality employment;

64. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take the necessary steps to harmonise and expedite the recognition of severe neurological disorders and severe neurodivergent cases that encompass a wide range of conditions affecting the brain, nerves and spinal cord, such as autism and other spectrum disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), dementia and chronic pain, ensuring access to social protection mechanisms, assistive technologies, personal assistance and palliative care, where appropriate and without administrative delays; calls on the Member States to ensure that persons with lifelong intellectual disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, retain the recognition of disability status and related rights upon reaching adulthood, avoiding unnecessary reassessments that lead to exclusion and emotional harm; calls for support for the development of EU-wide ‘migraine-friendly’ accessibility standards, including adjustable lighting, quiet zones, screen-filtering tools and remote participation options;

65. Stresses the need to promote inclusion, diversity and equality activities, such as guidelines and training for employers and fellow employees in order to support persons with disabilities in the open labour market and to phase out placements in sheltered workshops;

66. Calls on the Commission to develop a European disability employment and skills guarantee, building on the guidance and recommendations from the Disability Employment Package; calls, furthermore, for good working conditions and labour rights for workers in sheltered workshops to be ensured and for the transition from sheltered to regular employment to be supported;

67. Insists, in the context of the 2025 review of the EPSR and its action plan and of the update to the Disability Employment Package, on the explicit recognition of all employment models for persons with disabilities, including for persons with a chronic illness or post-treatment disabilities, respecting dignity and labour rights in line with the UNCRPD and ensuring fair and accessible working conditions for persons with disabilities;

68. Calls for the establishment of EU guidelines for inclusive workplace environments, including mandatory training for employers on disability inclusion, mental health, reasonable accommodations and anti-harassment protocols; supports the introduction of workplace accessibility audits and disability employment targets within public institutions;

69. Recognises the vital role of the social economy in promoting social inclusion and cohesion, addressing current challenges and reducing inequalities at all ages by generating quality employment opportunities for under-represented groups in the labour market, such as persons with disabilities;

70. Recalls the essential role of the ESF+ in supporting actions for persons with disabilities and insists that the ESF+ should be maintained as the main instrument for social cohesion and social inclusion; notes, however, that there is no special earmarking to address the needs of persons with disabilities under the ESF+ and calls for such provision in the next multiannual financial framework; underlines that the Member States must use this fund in compliance with the UNCRPD; underlines that the ESF+ is a key tool to support deinstitutionalisation in the Member States; notes that the take-up of ESF+ funding by organisations representing persons with disabilities and disability service providers should be fostered through capacity-building;

71. Recognises the accessibility challenges faced by persons with disabilities and their families, especially in rural and remote regions, and therefore calls for better coordination between the ESF+ and the European Regional Development Fund in order to improve access for persons with disabilities to healthcare services and long-term care in underserved regions, especially rural and remote areas; calls for a more efficient use of the ESF+ to support investment in long-term care services for persons with disabilities, provide training for caregivers and advance the implementation of the European Care Strategy;

72. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities, to live independently and feel included socially; calls, therefore, for support for housing, in line with the principle of subsidiarity, including through existing support for renovation, and for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible and disability-inclusive social housing, including housing adaptation for individuals under rehabilitation or undergoing intensive treatment and promoting the development of housing that is well equipped for persons with disabilities or older people in the context of the European Affordable Housing Plan; stresses that the lack of accessible and inclusive housing options, along with insufficient community-based services, undermine the right to independent living and inclusion in the community as enshrined in Article 19 of the UNCRPD, and can lead to inadequate housing or lack of support; stresses the role of assistive technologies and innovative accessible technological solutions in supporting independent living;

73. Underlines the need to develop a holistic EU strategy on the transition from institutions to independent living and community-based services, linked to the Guidance on Independent Living and to the upcoming Framework for Social Services of Excellence; notes that this strategy should support Member States with this transition, starting from preventative measures such as family support, foster care and early childhood interventions, and should also address the upskilling and reskilling of support workers to offer more personalised assistance in line with the UNCRPD; highlights that the strategy should also include monitoring mechanisms, the development of community-based and support services, data collection on the number of persons living in institutions and the number of institutions, and opportunities for mutual learning and exchange of good practices to raise awareness among Member States and stakeholders;

74. Urges the Commission and the Member States to develop harmonised indicators and monitoring tools to track progress on accessibility, affordability and adequacy of housing for persons with disabilities in line with the EPSR and the UNCRPD; calls for periodic public reporting and disaggregated data collection, including through the EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions and Urban Audit mechanisms;

75. Recalls the EU objective of transitioning from institutional to community- or family-based care; calls on the Commission to put forward an EU action plan on deinstitutionalisation for persons with disabilities in line with the UNCRPD, strengthening the sector of service provision for persons with disabilities, including children with disabilities, supporting families of persons with disabilities and including national strategic frameworks for deinstitutionalisation among the deliverables; stresses that the closure of an institution should go hand in hand with the development of community services;

76. Highlights the need to adopt a disability-inclusive approach to urban and rural development, with particular attention to independent living arrangements and inclusive public spaces; calls for stronger integration of disability considerations into EU cohesion policy, the Renovation Wave and national housing strategies;

77. Recognises the vital importance of integrating mental health considerations in all policy areas; acknowledges that persons with disabilities face significantly higher rates of mental distress compared to persons without disabilities; calls on the Commission to systematically take this into account in the forthcoming EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities and to mainstream mental health support across all relevant policies and programmes;

78. Calls on the Commission to publish EU guidelines to foster the development of high-quality family-centred early childhood intervention services, which are key to preventing segregation and foster inclusion for the next generation;

79. Stresses that persons with disabilities must be able to participate fully in cultural life not only as audiences, but also as creators, including as both amateur and professional artists; urges the Commission and the Member States to fully recognise and promote the creative contributions of artists with disabilities when designing and implementing relevant EU funding programmes; supports increased access to audiovisual services and content across the EU through a more harmonised and ambitious approach to implementing the accessibility provisions of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive[34];

80. Calls on the Commission to thoroughly research, monitor and assess the impact of algorithms deployed by large digital platforms on persons with disabilities, and to ensure the effective implementation of the relevant provisions of the Digital Services Act[35]to tackle addictive and self-destructive algorithmic content, particularly where it disproportionately affects persons with disabilities; underlines the importance of including targeted measures for persons with disabilities in future legislative initiatives during this term, such as the upcoming action plan against cyberbullying and the digital fairness act; calls further on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen digital literacy and promote critical online awareness among persons with disabilities;

81. Insists that the Commission’s new Guidance on independent living and inclusion in the community in the context of EU funding be referenced in the funding regulations for the next multiannual financial framework, particularly the ESF+, the European Regional Development Fund and the Common Provisions Regulation;

82. Warns against the replication of institutional practices in community settings, or the replacement of large-scale institutional settings with smaller ones where the conditions for independent living and inclusion in the community are not met; stresses, in this regard, the importance of flexibility, choice, participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities as defining criteria for quality services; recommends that Member States establish clear national quality standards for care and support services, with a robust inspection system and outcome-based evaluation mechanisms;

83. Recognises the significant physical, mental and social benefits of sports for persons with disabilities and calls for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in sporting activities at all levels, from amateur to elite, to the fullest extent possible; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote the development and accessibility of adapted sports by supporting inclusive sporting infrastructure, training of specialised staff and the participation of persons with disabilities;

84. Welcomes, in this regard, the Commission Guidance on independent living and inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities in the context of EU funding; calls on the Commission to launch an open method of coordination on deinstitutionalisation in order to move towards the development of common approaches to achieve the objectives outlined in the Guidance and assess the national measures adopted following the Council conclusions on enhancing community-based support and care for independent living;

85. Calls on the Commission to propose EU-level guidelines to support Member States in introducing high-quality standards for care settings, in line with the principles of dignity, safety and respect for human rights, not only covering the adequacy and accessibility of physical facilities, but also ensuring sufficient and well-trained staff, safe working conditions and person-centred care practices;

86. Calls on the Commission to issue a recommendation that all Member States align their national laws with the UNCRPD; calls for the EU and the remaining Member States who have not yet done so to ratify the UNCRPD Optional Protocol to allow for an individual complaints mechanism and better monitoring of the UNCRPD’s implementation;

87. Highlights that children with disabilities are among the target groups of the European Child Guarantee; calls on the Member States to step up their efforts to implement this instrument; stresses that the objectives of the Child Guarantee cannot be achieved without an ambitious dedicated budget at both EU and national level and reiterates in this context its call for a dedicated budget of at least EUR 20 billion for the European Child Guarantee; calls further on the Commission to provide an ambitious budget for the Child Guarantee in the next multiannual financial framework in order to respond to the growing challenge of child poverty and social exclusion, especially for children with disabilities;

88. Recalls that the Council recommendation of December 2022 on early childhood education and care[36] recommends that the Member States introduce targeted measures to increase participation in early childhood education and care of children with disabilities and support training programmes for early childhood education and care staff to ensure the provision of high-quality services for children with disabilities; regrets that the measures put in place by the Member States have not yet resulted in the closure of the participation gap in early childhood education and care between children with disabilities and the overall population of children; considers that the accessibility of high-quality early childhood education and care for children with disabilities is necessary for their overall development and for their parents to re-enter the labour market;

Equal access and non-discrimination

89. Recognises the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities face higher rates of violence against women and cyber and domestic violence including cases of forced sterilisation, forced abortion and physical restraint; calls on all EU Member States to ratify the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence;

90. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to prioritise the prevention of gender-based violence against women with disabilities, both offline and online, in future legislation and strategies, including cases of forced sterilisation; calls on the Commission, in this regard, to criminalise the forced sterilisation of persons with disabilities with no exception based on disability or legal capacity, and to ensure equal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, justice and compensation for victims;

91. Emphasises the need to ensure full access to justice for persons with disabilities through effective procedural accommodations, including but not limited to the provision of sign language interpretation, video testimony, documents in Braille and easy-to-read formats, and improved training for judicial and legal personnel; calls for strengthened legal awareness, aid and guidance for particularly vulnerable victims of crime, including children, women and older persons with disabilities, through accessible information both online and offline, including dedicated websites and information leaflets;

92. Emphasises the importance of promoting equal opportunities for women with disabilities, including supporting initiatives aimed at improving their access to leadership and decision-making roles across all sectors, so that the value of their work is also fairly recognised and rewarded in higher positions; calls on the Commission and the Member States to invest in accessible, inclusive and targeted EU-wide learning tools and training programmes specifically designed to support leadership development among women with disabilities, taking into account intersecting barriers and ensuring availability in accessible formats (e.g. Braille, sign language, easy-to-read, etc.);

93. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the invisibility of violence against women and girls with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual, cognitive or psychosocial disabilities; recalls that under Directive (EU) 2024/1385[37] on combating violence against women, Member States are required to provide specific support for women with disabilities who are victims of violence, to take into account their specific circumstances when assessing their protection needs, recognising the intersection between certain forms of violence against women such as female genital mutilation and disability, and to take targeted preventive measures in accessible formats in order to prioritise the prevention of violence against women with disabilities, both offline and online, in future legislation and strategies;

94. Emphasises that persons with disabilities are at higher risk of being the victims of hate speech and hate crime; welcomes the Commission proposal to extend the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime; urges the Council to take measures in order to reach an outcome on this process;

95. Recalls the need to give visibility to the rights of women with disabilities and their role as active participants in society; emphasises the importance of promoting equal opportunities for women with disabilities, including supporting initiatives aimed at improving their access to leadership and decision-making roles across all sectors, so that the value of their work is fairly recognised and rewarded in higher positions; calls on the Commission and the Member States to actively promote the political participation of women with disabilities by removing structural barriers, ensuring accessibility in electoral and decision-making processes, supporting leadership training and fostering inclusive representation in political parties, institutions and advisory bodies;

96. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing high-quality healthcare and care services for women in all their diversity, including barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities; notes with concern that persons with disabilities, including women and girls with disabilities, face barriers to accessing comprehensive healthcare and violations of their equal right to healthcare; calls on the Commission to make progress on its commitment to provide guidance to the Member States on equal access to healthcare, including sexual and reproductive healthcare, for persons with disabilities, based on inclusive, accessible and person-centred healthcare, free and informed consent as announced in the strategy, as well as mental health, gynaecological care, perinatal support and support in crisis situations, such as domestic violence;

97. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen their efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay;

98. Highlights the role of the media in increasing the representation of persons with disabilities, their rights and perspectives, and spreading disability-sensitive messages, which can contribute to raising public awareness about disabilities and, in particular, about the skills and capabilities of persons with disabilities; supports inclusive and accessible communication campaigns that focus on the promotion of inclusion, diversity and equality around disability issues, both general and specific in scope, as regards less known disabilities such as deafblindness; stresses that without such awareness, persons with disabilities can face barriers and feel invisible in their communities and social environments, thus affecting their participation therein; encourages the development of awareness-raising campaigns at national and EU level to combat harmful stereotypes and prejudices about disabilities that also affect women with disabilities, with an emphasis on empowering messages and representation, and greater visibility in the media;

99. Recalls the Commission’s commitment to launch a study to evaluate the implementation of Article 30 of the UNCRPD to support Member States in developing policies to increase the participation of and support for persons with disabilities in sports, culture, art and leisure activities;

100. Stresses the need to continue strengthening the protection of persons with disabilities against discrimination by facilitating access to equality bodies and ensuring the implementation of relevant provisions of the directives on standards for equality bodies;

Support for the families and carers of persons with disabilities

101. Recognises that persons with disabilities, in particular those with complex support needs, may rely on their families to provide daily care and support, especially when there is a lack of available services in their community; acknowledges the fundamental and often invisible role played by families, in particular parents and other informal carers – disproportionally women in both cases – in providing daily care and support to persons with disabilities;

102. Highlights the importance of developing robust systems for independent living support, including personal assistance schemes, so that persons with disabilities are not solely reliant on family members for care and can live autonomously; calls for targeted support for young and young adult carers, including access to equitable educational arrangements, mental health services and formal recognition of their caregiving responsibilities to prevent social and educational exclusion;

103. Calls for an EU strategy on the transition from institutions to community-based care that includes family, in order to finalise the process of shifting the provision of care from institutions to community-based services that promote independent living, in line with the UNCRPD;

104. Stresses the need to support and recognise the essential role played by caregivers and families in the lives of persons with disabilities, including by addressing the specific needs of informal carers; calls on all Member States to fully and effectively implement Directive (EU) 2019/1158 on work-life balance for parents and carers, ensuring adequate leave, flexible working arrangements and social protections for caregivers; emphasises the gender dimension of caregiving and calls for policies that promote gender equality in care roles, including measures to ensure that caregiving responsibilities are more equally shared between caregivers;

105. Recognises, furthermore, the fundamental role of professionals in the care and support sector – including personal assistants, support workers, social workers, nurses and other front-line care staff – in enabling persons with disabilities to live with dignity and autonomy in the community; highlights also the urgent need to ensure that families and informal carers are supported through access to high-quality respite care services, enabling them to rest, work and participate fully in social life without compromising the health, stability or well-being of the persons with disabilities they support;

106. Recalls that both the EU and the Member States should step up their efforts to ensure the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UNCRPD and to strengthen rights protection, while respecting their respective competences; urges the Commission to provide the necessary support to Member States to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to the bodies designated pursuant to Article 33(2) of the UNCRPD so they can fulfil their tasks effectively and efficiently;

107. Calls on the Commission to ensure that EU cultural and creative programmes such as Creative Europe, Erasmus+ and the New European Bauhaus are fully inclusive of artists with disabilities, by introducing accessibility requirements and technical assistance to ensure the participation of artists with disabilities, including those with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities;

108. Emphasises the need to provide psychological and emotional support to families and informal carers, including counselling and peer support programmes, recognising the mental health burden often carried by those who provide long-term care under difficult conditions;

109. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to improve the working conditions in the care and support sector by ensuring fair wages, access to continuous professional training, adequate staffing levels and social protection, including healthcare, sick leave and pension rights; emphasises the need to ensure decent wages and collective bargaining rights for all care workers and to support the transition from informal care roles to formal employment for family caregivers;

110. Calls on the Commission to swiftly present the announced European Care Deal, recognising long-term care as a social responsibility rather than a private one;

Promoting the rights of persons with disabilities globally

111. Insists that the EU should support candidate countries in undertaking concrete measures to align with the EU’s accessibility standards prior to their accession to the EU, with particular attention to services used by women and girls;

112. Underlines that the EU should further mainstream a disability rights dimension in its external action and cooperation policies, including in relation to armed conflicts, humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters, and, in particular, in the gender action plan and the human rights and democracy action plan; calls on the Commission to present an EU disability action plan for external action;

113. Welcomes the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the EU Global Health Strategy; calls on the Commission to ensure that the EU Preparedness Union Strategy fully addresses the needs of persons with disabilities and that emergency responses uphold their dignity, autonomy and safety, including through the distribution of accessible alerts and communications, including advanced mobile location and total conversation for all emergency numbers, mobility accommodations and the training of emergency personnel to respectfully and effectively assist persons with a range of disabilities;

114. Considers it necessary to include persons with disabilities in the design of EU-funded humanitarian aid to ensure that there is an inclusive, accessible and effective approach; demands that all EU-funded humanitarian aid operations apply the humanitarian inclusion standards for persons with disabilities, ensuring inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory support in crisis situations;

Awareness, governance and measuring progress

115. Recalls that, according to the strategy, EU institutions should make selection, recruitment, employment and retention processes disability-inclusive, and should improve the accessibility of buildings and communication technologies;

116. Asks the Commission to include Parliament at a political level in the Disability Platform and to establish an interinstitutional structured dialogue to follow up on, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Member States in all areas and in all policies, sharing best practice and providing recommendations; asks the Commission, additionally, to regularly report to Parliament on the progress made in disability mainstreaming across all EU policies and programmes, ensuring democratic oversight, accountability, structured political dialogue and participatory governance on disability rights across the EU; recommends that persons with disabilities and their representatives be involved in drafting and monitoring the regulations affecting their rights, given their direct experience and expertise;

117. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to include ‘equal access and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities’ as a dedicated priority theme within the EU Urban Agenda, in order to foster inclusive urban development and facilitate the exchange of best practices between cities, recognising that accessibility, inclusive housing and awareness-raising begin at the level of local governance;

118. Calls on the Member States to develop strategies to combat bullying and harassment directed against children and young persons with disabilities, including in educational contexts and online, and that these strategies recognise disability as a basis for discrimination;

119. Invites the Commission to present evaluation reports on the implementation of regulations and directives related to persons with disabilities, following the end of the transposition period, and to take any necessary actions; calls on the Member States to transpose said directives within the set time limits and with the highest possible level of ambition;

120. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to improve the collection of data on institutionalised populations and deinstitutionalisation efforts, disaggregated by age, gender and setting, and to report this data annually;

121. Calls on the EU institutions to develop programmes under their internal staff policies for traineeship and apprenticeship opportunities for persons with disabilities;

 °

° °

122. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

 

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030 represents a cornerstone of the Union’s commitment to the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and of Principle 17 of the European Pillar of Social Rights. The report evaluates its implementation and identifies priorities for a renewed framework beyond 2024, in light of persistent barriers to equality and inclusion.

The report welcomes the progress achieved through the first phase of the strategy, including the launch of the European Disability Card and Parking Card, the AccessibleEU Centre, the Disability Employment Package, and the Commission’s guidance on independent living. However, major challenges remain, particularly regarding access to employment, social protection, healthcare, education, housing and digital services. The European Court of Auditors and the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities have both underlined that the practical impact of EU action remains limited and fragmented. The strategy therefore requires renewed ambition and clear, measurable objectives.

The report stresses that the rights of persons with disabilities must be mainstreamed across all Union policies and funding instruments. A comprehensive mid-term evaluation should assess the effectiveness and territorial reach of flagship initiatives, supported by disaggregated data and systematic consultation of organisations representing persons with disabilities. The updated strategy should integrate binding measures where appropriate and establish stronger monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, including through an enhanced role for AccessibleEU and closer coordination among Commission and the Member States.

Employment remains a key priority. The disability employment gap persists, with women and young persons with disabilities particularly disadvantaged. Closing the disability employment gap requires incentives, stronger enforcement of reasonable accommodation, and investment in training and skills. At the same time, inclusion cannot rely solely on employment access to social protection, healthcare, accessible housing and community-based services must be guaranteed.

The report highlights the importance of accessibility as a precondition for the exercise of all fundamental rights. The full implementation and, where necessary, strengthening of the European Accessibility Act, web accessibility rules and transport legislation are essential to achieving a genuinely barrier-free Union. New flagship initiatives should address neglected areas such as accessible housing, healthcare, and digital inclusion.

Finally, the report calls on the Commission to prepare without delay an updated Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2025–2030, aligned with other forthcoming equality and social policy frameworks. This renewed strategy must reaffirm the Union’s leadership in promoting equality, autonomy and participation of persons with disabilities.

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not include in her report input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[38], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH (17.7.2025)

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

(2025/2057(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Giorgos Georgiou

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Public Health submits the following to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular in particular Articles 3, 15, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26 and 47 thereof,	– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Articles 3, 15, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26, 35 and 47 thereof,

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which entered into force for the EU on 22 January 2011 in accordance with Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1,	– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which entered into force for the EU on 22 January 2011 in accordance with Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1, noting, in particular, Article 25 of the UNCRPD, which sets out the parameters for disability-inclusive healthcare and which requires that persons with disabilities have the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health without discrimination on the basis of disability, _______________ 1 OJ L 23, 27.01.2010, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/48(1)/oj.
_________________
1 OJ L 23, 27.01.2010, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/48(1)/oj.

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare1a, ______________ 1a OJ L 88, 4.4.2011, p. 45, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/24/oj.

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission guidance notice of 29 November 2024 on independent living and inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities in the context of EU funding1a, ______________ 1a OJ C, C/2024/7188, 29.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7188/oj.

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Citation 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
– having regard to the Commission communication of 3 March 2021 entitled ‘Union of Equality: Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030’ (COM(2021)0101),	– having regard to the Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, the upcoming EU Gender Equality Strategy for 2026-2030 and the EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights,

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’ concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union, published on 17 April 2025,

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the European Disability Forum manifesto adopted during the fifth European Parliament of Persons with Disabilities on 23 May 2023,

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
C. whereas, as recognised in the Commission communication on the Union of Skills, persons with disabilities face persistent challenges in access to quality work and training, with existing programmes often falling short on adequately addressing their needs or ensuring accessibility;	C. whereas, as recognised in the Commission communication on the Union of Skills, persons with disabilities face persistent challenges in access to quality work and training, with existing programmes often falling short on adequately addressing their needs or ensuring accessibility; whereas disability sensitivity training for healthcare professionals could improve healthcare provision and reduce discrimination; whereas it is important to deliver on disability rights in practice, not just on paper;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Recital D

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
D. whereas the employment rate of young persons with disabilities in the EU is particularly low, at only 47.4 %; whereas there is a 21.5 percentage point gap between the employment rates of young people with and without disabilities;	D. whereas persons with disabilities experience significantly higher rates of mental distress compared to persons without disabilities; whereas targeted, inclusive interventions, programmes and policies that facilitate access to timely mental health screenings, appropriate care and comprehensive support services, including inclusive education, supported employment and quality jobs, social inclusion, participation in sport and recreational activities, and protection against discrimination and violence, are essential to effectively reduce mental distress and promote overall well-being among persons with disabilities;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
E. whereas 28.4 % of persons with disabilities live in or are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.4 % of persons without disabilities;	E. whereas 28.4 % of persons with disabilities live in or are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.4 % of persons without disabilities, especially in rural, insular and remote areas; whereas although persons with disabilities have higher needs for both preventive and curative medical care, they are at greater risk of poor health, unmet medical needs, a poorer self-reported health status and higher mortality than persons without disabilities;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ea. whereas persons with disabilities are less likely to have access to preventive healthcare and screening programmes (e.g. for cancer or diabetes) due to physical or informational barriers or discrimination; whereas early and consistent access to therapies is crucial for development and autonomy, but in many Member States, persons with disabilities face a range of challenges in accessing healthcare, including financial, attitudinal, legal and physical barriers; whereas in several Member States, persons with lifelong disabilities lose access to rights and benefits upon reaching adulthood due to reassessment procedures, leading to unjust status downgrades and systemic gaps in support;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Recital E b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Eb. whereas persons with non-visible disabilities, including neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders, are often excluded from eligibility criteria and support mechanisms due to a lack of visible impairments;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Recital E c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ec. whereas in some of the Member States, women who have a recognised significant disability and who are victims of crimes for which they received financial compensation suffer from the fact that this compensation is factored into the calculation of their incomes, hindering their access to certain rights and, in particular, to healthcare;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Recital E d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ed. whereas disabled athletes continue to face barriers in accessing facilities, funding and competitive opportunities, both in mainstream and dedicated settings;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Recital E e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ee. whereas an estimated 1.4 million persons with disabilities under the age of 65 are residing in segregated institutions; whereas 13 EU Member States report more persons with disabilities living in institutions now than they did 10 years ago; whereas a concrete roadmap towards fulfilling the seventh pillar of the EU Disability Strategy is needed; whereas such a roadmap should facilitate progress towards the deinstitutionalisation of persons with disabilities and a shift towards community-based living and support;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Recital F

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
F. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU, and they face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, as well as high rates of violence against women and domestic violence;	F. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU; whereas women are disproportionately impacted by certain disabling conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, depression, and autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis; whereas women’s symptoms are often normalised or dismissed, leading to delayed diagnosis and inadequate treatment; whereas they face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, as well as high rates of violence against women, including domestic violence and disability-specific forms of violence such as forced sterilisation, forced abortion and forced contraception;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Recital F a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Fa. whereas women with disabilities are at significantly greater risk of experiencing sexual violence; whereas such violence leads to severe health consequences, psychological trauma and social and economic exclusion, and constitutes a grave violation of women’s rights;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Recital F b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Fb. whereas persons with disabilities, including women and minors, often lack access to appropriate sexual and reproductive health information and care tailored to their age and needs; whereas this deprives them of autonomy and protection, and can expose them to a higher risk of abuse;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Recital F c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Fc. whereas the UNCRPD and the Istanbul Convention1a, both ratified by the EU, affirm that persons with disabilities, including minors, have the right to bodily integrity and to make free and informed decisions about their reproductive health; whereas only nine EU Member States criminalise forced sterilisation as a distinct offence, while thirteen Member States still allow it in certain cases, including, in three of these Member States, cases involving minors, in clear violation of human rights standards; ______________ 1a The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Recital G a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ga. whereas environmental and climate-related health risks disproportionately impact persons with disabilities due to mobility limitations and limited access to safe housing and emergency response systems; whereas health inequalities stem from intersectional factors, including gender, ethnicity and socio-economic background, leading to greater barriers in accessing healthcare for persons with disabilities who belong to marginalised groups; whereas digitalisation in healthcare can facilitate access to quality healthcare for persons with disabilities; whereas e-health services must be designed in a way that enables persons with disabilities, including those with cognitive, visual, auditory and psychosocial impairments, to use healthcare services without barriers;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Recital G b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Gb. whereas fragmented national reimbursement systems create major disparities in access to assistive technologies, and hinder the free movement of persons with disabilities across the EU;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Recital G c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Gc. whereas the majority of assistive products and prototype equipment falls outside the scope of the Medical Device Regulation1a, creating legal uncertainty and safety risks; whereas a dedicated framework would bridge the regulatory gap without overburdening the production of low-risk aids; ______________ 1a Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC (OJ L 117, 5.5.2017, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/745/oj).

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Recital G d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Gd. whereas in order to ensure that cross-border healthcare is truly accessible to persons with disabilities, a comprehensive review of Directive 2011/24/EU on patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare should be carried out to eliminate practical, financial and accessibility barriers;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Recital G e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ge. whereas everyone is entitled to be treated with dignity and to receive care appropriate to their specific circumstances; whereas chronic pain is the most prevalent health condition in Europe, affecting approximately 150 million people (representing about 20 % of the European population), and is a leading cause of disability; whereas it severely impacts quality of life, limits participation in work and education, and is linked to mental health issues;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Acknowledges that the strategy sets EU objectives and priorities for action in several policy areas including employment, education, non-discrimination and social protection; notes that the strategy addresses most of the shortcomings identified in the 2010-2020 European disability strategy;	1. Acknowledges that the strategy sets EU objectives and priorities for action in several policy areas including employment, education, non-discrimination, public health and social protection; notes that the strategy addresses most of the shortcomings identified in the 2010-2020 European disability strategy; stresses, however, that there are significant challenges that should be addressed;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	1a. Calls for an EU framework to ensure that the definition of ‘persons with disabilities’ is applied effectively by the Member States to conditions resulting from a diagnosed disease, guaranteeing equal rights, access to long-term healthcare services, geriatric care and social protection for those whose illness leads to a permanent or temporary disability, and preventing institutionalisation; stresses the importance of the recognition of all temporary and permanent disabilities; calls, therefore, on the Member States to streamline and expedite national disability recognition without any delays;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	1b. Urges the Commission and the Member States to take the necessary steps to harmonise and expedite the recognition of severe neurological disorders and severe neurodivergent cases that encompass a wide range of conditions affecting the brain, nerves and spinal cord, such as autism and other spectrum disorders, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), dementia and chronic pain, ensuring access to social protection mechanisms, assistive technologies, personal assistance and palliative care, where appropriate and without administrative delays; calls on the Member States to ensure that persons with lifelong intellectual disabilities, such as Down Syndrome, retain the recognition of disability status and related rights upon reaching adulthood, avoiding unnecessary reassessments that lead to exclusion and emotional harm;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers when it comes to healthcare services, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living;	3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers when it comes to access to healthcare services and health screenings, higher education and skills development, accessible and adapted housing, and to having adequate standards of living, particularly for women and children with disabilities and persons with high support needs;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life and an increase in social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, and persons with disabilities therefore continue to face a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion;	4. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life, independence and an increase in social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, leaving persons with disabilities, especially women, at greater risk of poverty and social exclusion; emphasises that untreated mental health conditions, which often co-occur with chronic pain and other chronic illnesses that cause disabilities, may negatively impact individuals’ capacity to work and their well-being; considers that accessibility challenges put a constant strain on the mental health of persons with disabilities and their carers; underlines the urgent need to improve mental health support for persons with disabilities, who face much higher risks of depression, anxiety and social isolation, through the promotion of an integrated approach aiming to improve their quality of life and access to inclusive education and employment, the promotion of greater autonomy and inclusion, and access to sports infrastructure and programmes; considers that healthcare professionals and carers should be adequately remunerated, including the right to paid leave, free mental health services and a work-life balance; asks the Commission to assess the data collected by Eurostat on the mental health and well-being of persons with disabilities;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received less attention, such as equal access to social protection, healthcare, transport, education, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission;	7. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received less attention, such as equal access to social protection, accessible and affordable healthcare, transport, education, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission; calls on the Commission to address the gaps left by the EU Disability Card regarding freedom of movement, and to coordinate with the Member States on procedures for authorisation, reimbursement, access to disability allowances and accessibility of healthcare facilities and treatments across the EU; calls on the Commission to swiftly present the pending guidelines on improving access to healthcare for persons with disabilities;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Calls on the Commission to undertake a comprehensive mid-term evaluation of the strategy, including an impact assessment of the implemented flagship initiatives;	8. Calls on the Commission to undertake a comprehensive mid-term evaluation of the strategy, including an impact assessment of the implemented flagship initiatives and targeted outreach; underlines the need to involve patient organisations and other relevant stakeholder groups in the entire evaluation process; stresses that persons with disabilities should be systematically included in the design, implementation and monitoring of any health strategies;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Stresses that, considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030, including the actions described below;	9. Stresses that, considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030, which should include strong synergies with EU initiatives such as Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and the upcoming EU Gender Equality Strategy for 2026-2030; calls on the Commission to fulfil its commitment under the 2021-2030 strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities to promote equitable access to healthcare for persons with disabilities; calls on the Commission to establish, without further delay, a dedicated task force on disability and health equity, and to monitor the implementation of inclusive health promotion and prevention initiatives as well as the dismantling of structural barriers in access to care; calls on the Commission to integrate disability-specific indicators into the European Cancer Inequalities Registry; calls for disaggregated data to be included in data collection on cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes for persons with disabilities, with a view to identifying and addressing persistent disparities in access to, and quality of, oncological care; considers that the European Health Data Space could play an important role in this data collection; calls for the full implementation and necessary revision of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, in order to further support the collective and shared response of the Member States to one of the top five causes of disability in most EU Member States;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation, where relevant, along with maintaining the horizontal enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD;	10. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation, where relevant, in particular by maintaining funding for civil society organisations for persons with disabilities, including, but not limited to, grants under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, and ensuring robust cohesion funding along with maintaining the horizontal enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD; calls on the Commission to duly finance the implementation of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, as cancer is one of the leading causes of disability, and to develop and publish the European Cardiovascular Health Plan, as conditions such as diabetes significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, thus leading to higher rates of disability; emphasises the need for a holistic EU strategy and dedicated EU funding to support the Member States with the transition from institutions to independent living and community-based services, which will focus on improved data collection on people living in institutions across the EU, providing training to support workers to offer more personalised support in line with the UNCRPD, strengthening the service-provision sector for persons with disabilities, and supporting families of persons with disabilities;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
12. Calls for the development of new technologies to ensure accessibility, and for the participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of design, development and implementation of technologies, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination;	12. Calls for the development of new technologies, including innovative medical devices, with a focus on AI where appropriate, to ensure accessibility, particularly of healthcare infrastructure and innovative and tailored treatments; urges the Commission to develop a joint mechanism for mutual certification for assistive technologies that provides harmonised safety, quality and post-market requirements for products not covered by the Medical Device Regulation; calls for investment in data-driven policies and for research and innovation to be fostered; recalls that persons with disabilities have more complex needs as regards medicines and often require orphan medicines, which significantly improve their quality of life; calls on the Commission and the Member States to put forward an EU strategy ensuring equal access to orphan medicines and innovative treatments across the EU; calls for the participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of research, design, development and implementation of technologies, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination; highlights the significant under-representation of persons with disabilities in clinical research, which perpetuates health inequities and undermines scientific accuracy; calls on the Commission to include clear frameworks that promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities in clinical research in the next revision of the Clinical Trials Regulation1a; ______________ 1a Regulation (EU) No 536/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on clinical trials on medicinal products for human use, and repealing Directive 2001/20/EC (OJ L 158, 27.5.2014, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/536/oj).

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12a. Recognises the importance of early detection and coordinated prenatal and postnatal care, including medical and social support, and highlights the need to reinforce the EU4Health programme as access to diagnosis is a key part of the programme; calls on the Member States and the Commission to strengthen and harmonise newborn screening programmes to ensure early detection and timely intervention for rare diseases and conditions that may lead to lifelong disabilities; calls on the Commission to collect and publish integrated and disaggregated data on families with dependent children with disabilities, including variables such as household composition, per capita income, officially recognised degree of disability and publicly supported dependency-related expenditure, in order to be able to develop more targeted support measures; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to promote national frameworks that guarantee free and timely access to essential therapies for children and young adults with disabilities, including speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12b. Stresses that insufficient support for persons with disabilities, their families and caregivers can lead to significant adverse consequences; underlines the wide disparities, between Member States, in the recognition of informal carers and their rights; calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the specific needs of caregivers and family members by developing integrated health and social prescribing care systems, ensuring inclusive access to community-based services, peer-led initiatives and psychological support for all persons involved in the provision of care to persons with disabilities; invites the Commission to propose a statute on informal carers, guaranteeing the recognition of a minimum level of rights at EU level;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12c. Calls on the Commission to assess and review Directive 2011/24/EU on patients’ mobility and Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems1a in order to establish the reimbursement of disability-related additional costs and accessibility in situations of cross-border healthcare; ______________ 1a Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems (OJ L 166, 30.4.2004, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/883/oj).

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats;	14. Highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of digital and banking services, transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats, including as regards medical transport; calls on the Member States to ensure that all national health screening and prevention programmes are fully accessible and inclusive; calls on the Commission to ensure that e-health services, including mobile health devices and services, are fully accessible and safe to use for persons with disabilities, their family members, personal assistants and healthcare professionals; stresses the importance of ensuring that digitalisation, including in banking interfaces, does not reduce accessibility for persons with disabilities, including blind and visually impaired persons, and calls for clear EU guidelines on inclusive design and alternative access modes for essential services;

Amendment  39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
16. Recognises that persons with disabilities encounter obstacles in accessing education and employment, and calls for the Union of Skills to enable greater investment in inclusive education, adaptations and accessibility in digital and vocational training, as well as to provide support in the transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodation in the workplace;	16. Recognises that persons with disabilities encounter obstacles in accessing education, training, healthcare, housing and employment, and calls for the Union of Skills to enable greater investment in public healthcare services, digital health literacy, inclusive education, adaptations and accessibility in digital and vocational training, as well as to provide support for digital health literacy and in the transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodation in the workplace, including workplace adjustments and return-to-work programmes for persons with disabilities resulting from an illness or (chronic) disease; stresses the need for mental health support in educational, training and work-related environments, given its crucial role in enabling long-term engagement and success; highlights the need to strengthen efforts in the Member States through the sharing of best practices and other complementary actions to improve access to work and education, reducing barriers and prejudice in education and training by promoting continuous awareness of intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties, and measures to enhance alternative learning methods, especially for children on the autism spectrum, including children with ADHD; calls on the Member States to guarantee inclusive access to education at all levels for persons with disabilities, including through the provision of specialised support staff, tailored curricula and more accessible digital platforms;

Amendment  40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
20. Recalls the essential role of the ESF+ in supporting actions for persons with disabilities and insists that the ESF+ should be maintained as the main instrument for social cohesion; notes, however, that there is no special earmarking to address the needs of persons with disabilities under the ESF+; underlines that the Member States must use this fund in compliance with the UNCRPD;	20. Recalls the essential role of the ESF+ in supporting actions for persons with disabilities and insists that the ESF+ should be maintained as the main instrument for social cohesion; notes, however, that there is no special earmarking to address the needs of persons with disabilities under the ESF+; underlines that the Member States must use this fund in compliance with the UNCRPD; recognises the accessibility challenges faced by persons with disabilities and their families, especially in rural and remote regions, and therefore calls for better coordination between the ESF+ and the European Regional Development Fund in order to improve access for persons with disabilities to healthcare services and long-term care in underserved regions, especially rural and remote areas; urges a more efficient use of the ESF+ to support investment in long-term care services for persons with disabilities, provide training for caregivers, and advance the implementation of the European Care Strategy;

Amendment  41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities, and calls, therefore, for support for housing including by using existing support for renovation, and for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible and disability-inclusive social housing;	21. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities, and calls, therefore, for support for housing including by using existing support for renovation, and for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible and disability-inclusive social housing and infrastructure; recalls that inclusive, autonomous and healthy housing is a core preventive measure to safeguard healthy ageing for persons with disabilities and calls on the Commission to take into account the needs of persons with disabilities in its housing policies, including adaptations for individuals recovering from intensive medical treatment, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy;

Amendment  42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21a. Underlines the need for a holistic EU strategy to support the transition from institutional care to independent living solutions and community-based services for persons with disabilities, including persons with autism spectrum disorder, strengthening supported housing, personal assistance, autonomous mobility, and training for support workers to provide personalised care, and offering support to the families and carers of persons with disabilities;

Amendment  43

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Recognises the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities face higher rates of violence against women and domestic violence;	22. Recognises the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities face higher rates of violence against women and domestic violence, including cases of forced sterilisation; calls on the Commission to take a strong stance and encourage the Member States to adopt measures without undue delay to criminalise forced sterilisation, with no exception based on disability or legal capacity, to ensure equal access to sexual and reproductive rights, healthcare and justice, to propose adequate criminal sanctions, and compensation for victims, and to encourage all EU Member States to ratify the Istanbul Convention; calls on the Commission to urgently assess whether forced or undesired sterilisation is sufficiently criminalised in the Member States, with a view to ending this practice in line with Treaty obligations relating to non-discrimination;

Amendment  44

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Calls on the Commission to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare for women in all their diversity, including barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities;	24. Calls on the Commission to address in a holistic way, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare including, but not limited to, sexual and reproductive healthcare, in particular for women and girls in all their diversity, the elderly population, and persons with disabilities living in rural, isolated or sparsely populated areas, especially those with rare diseases and other diseases such as cancer that often lead to disabilities; recalls that barriers to accessing healthcare facilities are discriminatory and profoundly hinder access to medical care for persons with disabilities; calls for more uniform enforcement of the European Accessibility Act1a; ______________ 1a Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj).

Amendment  45

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay;	25. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay, and to provide financial and practical support for women with disabilities in the workplace, including the option of extended maternity leave and in-home assistance from healthcare professionals; recalls the need to ensure protection for persons facing financial hardship due to disease treatment, including access to sick leave, disability pensions and medical leave entitlement; calls for complementary EU actions with a view to enhancing social care services and community-based health services and introducing programmes for home-based care and personal assistance, affording persons with disabilities greater autonomy and the necessary support to enable them to work from home;

Amendment  46

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	27a. Welcomes the inclusion of persons with disabilities in the EU Global Health Strategy; calls on the Commission to ensure that the EU preparedness union strategy fully addresses the needs of persons with disabilities and that emergency responses uphold their dignity, autonomy and safety, including through the distribution of accessible alerts and communications, including advanced mobile location and total conversation for all emergency numbers, mobility accommodations, and training emergency personnel to respectfully and effectively assist persons with a range of disabilities;

Amendment  47

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Considers it necessary to include persons with disabilities in EU-funded humanitarian aid to ensure that there is an inclusive, accessible and effective approach;	28. Asks the Commission to strengthen the 2021-2030 strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities to ensure that the needs of persons with disabilities, including access to basic healthcare services, are addressed with an inclusive, targeted, accessible and effective approach in external action, including EU-funded humanitarian aid, in accordance with humanitarian principles;

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he included in his opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that he received, in the preparation of the opinion, prior to the adoption thereof in committee, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[39], or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

European Disability Forum

European Cancer Organisation

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that he has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	29 2 9
Members present for the final vote	Christine Anderson, Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Bartosz Arłukowicz, Stine Bosse, Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Laurent Castillo, Olivier Chastel, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Christophe Clergeau, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Ondřej Dostál, Viktória Ferenc, Emmanouil Fragkos, Nicolás González Casares, Michalis Hadjipantela, Gerald Hauser, Martin Häusling, Adam Jarubas, Romana Jerković, András Tivadar Kulja, Peter Liese, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Catarina Martins, Tilly Metz, Elena Nevado del Campo, Michele Picaro, Jessica Polfjärd, Ruggero Razza, Oliver Schenk, Tomislav Sokol, Dario Tamburrano, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Tiemo Wölken
Substitutes present for the final vote	Giorgos Georgiou, Billy Kelleher, Aldo Patriciello, Marta Temido, Ingeborg Ter Laak, Aurelijus Veryga, Kristian Vigenin
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Maria Guzenina

 

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

29	+
ECR	Aurelijus Veryga
NI	Ondřej Dostál
PPE	Bartosz Arłukowicz, Laurent Castillo, Michalis Hadjipantela, Adam Jarubas, András Tivadar Kulja, Elena Nevado del Campo, Jessica Polfjärd, Oliver Schenk, Ingeborg Ter Laak
Renew	Stine Bosse, Olivier Chastel, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Billy Kelleher, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu
S&D	Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis, Christophe Clergeau, Nicolás González Casares, Maria Guzenina, Romana Jerković, Marta Temido, Tiemo Wölken
The Left	Giorgos Georgiou, Catarina Martins, Dario Tamburrano
Verts/ALE	Martin Häusling, Ignazio Roberto Marino, Tilly Metz

 

2	-
PPE	Peter Liese
PfE	Margarita de la Pisa Carrión

 

9	0
ECR	Emmanouil Fragkos, Michele Picaro, Ruggero Razza
ESN	Christine Anderson
PPE	Tomislav Sokol
PfE	Marie-Luce Brasier-Clain, Viktória Ferenc, Gerald Hauser, Aldo Patriciello

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (17.07.2025)

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

(2025/2057(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Fabienne Keller

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs submits the following to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible :

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular in particular Articles 3, 15, 20, 21, 23, 25, 26 and 47 thereof,	– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, in particular Articles 3, 6, 8, 11, 15, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 40 and 47 thereof,

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which entered into force for the EU on 22 January 2011 in accordance with Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1 ,	– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), which entered into force for the EU on 22 January 2011 in accordance with Council Decision 2010/48/EC of 26 November 2009 concerning the conclusion, by the European Community, of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1, and which was ratified by the EU on 23 December 2010 and by all Member States individually,
_________________	_________________
1 OJ L 23, 27.01.2010, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/48(1)/oj.	1 OJ L 23, 27.01.2010, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/48(1)/oj.

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the UN Optional Protocol to the CRPD, which has been ratified by 22 Member States, and to the General Comments on the CRPD and the concluding observations issued by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to the EU, in particular on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union, published on 21 March 2025,

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Citation 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 June 2023 entitled ‘A comprehensive approach to mental health’ (COM(2023)0298),

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Citation 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025 and the EU Roadmap for Women’s Rights,

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission guidance notice of 29 November 2024 on independent living and inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities in the context of EU funding,

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Citation 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the annotated review of European Union law and policy with reference to disability of December 2024, drafted by the European Disability Expertise for the Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion,

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
A. whereas, on 3 March 2021, the Commission put forward the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 (the strategy) with the aim of promoting equal opportunities and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Europe and around the world;	A. whereas, on 3 March 2021, the Commission put forward the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 (the strategy) with the aim of promoting equal opportunities and full inclusion of all persons with disabilities in Europe and around the world, regardless of their sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	A a. whereas in 2023, according to Eurostat estimates, 27 % of the EU population over the age of 16 had some form of disability, equalling 101 million people or one in four adults in the EU;

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	B a. whereas persons with disabilities in all their diversity are entitled to enjoy their fundamental rights on an equal basis with others; whereas the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities in all areas of life and society is crucial for the enjoyment of their fundamental rights;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Recital B b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	B b. whereas the existence of a disability in itself does not justify the denial of the legal capacity of persons with disabilities; whereas measures restricting their legal capacity must be adapted to their circumstances and be proportionate to their needs, and should be applied only under certain conditions and with certain guarantees;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Recital B c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	B c. whereas persons with disabilities continue to face systemic and structural barriers in access to universal healthcare;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
E. whereas 28.4 % of persons with disabilities live in or are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.4 % of persons without disabilities;	E. whereas 28.4 % of persons with disabilities live in, or are at risk of, poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.4 % of persons without disabilities; whereas persons with disabilities face a disproportionate risk of homelessness as well as additional physical, financial and informational barriers in accessing affordable and sustainable housing of adequate quality;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	E a. whereas an estimated 1.4 million persons with disabilities under the age of 65 are residing in segregated institutions and whereas 13 EU Member States count more persons with disabilities living in institutions now than they did 10 years ago1a;
	_________________
	1a Eurofound, ‘Living conditions and quality of life: Paths towards independent living and social inclusion in Europe’, https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/en/publications/2024/paths-towards-independent-living-and-social-inclusion-europe.

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Recital E b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	E b. whereas persons with disabilities living in the EU continue to face discrimination in all areas of their lives and the denial of the opportunity to contribute to, and engage actively in, society; whereas persons with disabilities can face intersectional discrimination based on the intersection between their disability and other grounds such as those listed in Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, including sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation; whereas the combination of gender and disability-based discrimination result in a higher risk of gender-based violence against persons with disabilities; whereas recognising the intersectional dimension is essential for the adoption of inclusive response strategies;

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Recital F

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
F. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU, and they face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, as well as high rates of violence against women and domestic violence;	F. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU, and they face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, as well as high rates of violence against women, such as domestic violence, forced sterilisation, forced abortion and physical restraining;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Recital G

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
G. whereas the EU and its Member States share responsibility in areas such as transport and the single market, while in areas such as health, education, and culture, the EU mainly supports the actions of the Member States; whereas the Member States are responsible for designing their own disability policies in line with the UNCRPD and EU rules;	G. whereas the protection and promotion of the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities must be ensured across the Union; whereas the EU and its Member States share responsibility in areas such as transport and the single market, while in areas such as health, education, social inclusion and culture, which fall under the national competence of the Member States, the EU mainly supports the actions of the Member States; whereas the 27 Member States are responsible for designing their own disability policies in line with the UNCRPD, ratified by them, and EU rules;

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Recital G a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G a. whereas the UNCRPD is the first international, legally binding instrument setting minimum standards for the rights of persons with disabilities, and the first human rights convention to which the EU became a party; whereas the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD, however, has not been ratified by the EU and several Member States;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Recital G b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G b. whereas, following the adoption of Directive (EU) 2024/2841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities1a, the Member States have until 2028 to make these cards operational;
	_________________
	1a OJ L, 2024/2841, 14.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/2841/oj.

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Recital G c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G c. whereas the EU needs to provide children with disabilities who have fled war, persecution or discrimination with extra support to accommodate their needs;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Recital G d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G d. whereas many children and young persons with disabilities are enrolled in special schools that do not always offer effective bridges to the mainstream education system, continued training, or the labour market; whereas the rate of early school leaving is double for persons with disabilities compared to non-disabled people and only 29 % of them obtain a tertiary degree (post-secondary education) compared to 44 % of persons without disabilities;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Recital G e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G e. whereas the announcement of the intention to withdraw the proposal for a Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive from the Commission’s 2025 work programme is very worrisome; whereas such a withdrawal would be a significant setback for the Union of Equality;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Recital G f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G f. whereas in special report 20/2023 of October 2023, the European Court of Auditors assessed whether the Commission had taken effective action to support persons with disabilities and concluded that the 'practical impact of EU action was limited' and that 'the key indicators had not significantly improved';

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers when it comes to healthcare services, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living;	3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities in all their diversity still face considerable barriers when it comes to respect for their fundamental rights, acknowledgement of their disabilities throughout the EU, healthcare services, including mental health services, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life and an increase in social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, and persons with disabilities therefore continue to face a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion;	4. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life and an increase in social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, and persons with disabilities – as individuals with high support needs – then continue to face a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	5 a. Calls on the Commission to collect disability-disaggregated and reliable data and statistics by gender, age and impairment type, in order to develop appropriate and effective policies in addition to ensuring an accessible society for all persons with disabilities in the EU;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Is concerned that some groups of persons with disabilities are at greater risk of being victims of multiple and intersectional discrimination and violence; calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the specific challenges, rights and needs of these persons to ensure their fundamental rights are respected, and to guarantee their access to victim support services, protection measures and mechanisms for reporting violence;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received less attention, such as equal access to social protection, healthcare, transport, education, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission;	7. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received less attention, such as equal access to social protection, healthcare, transport, education, digital accessibility, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 a. Takes note of the recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and urges the EU to ratify the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD without further delay, in order to provide individuals and organisations with access to international remedies in cases where the EU institutions fail to protect their rights;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Stresses that, considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030, including the actions described below;	9. Stresses that, considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward an updated and ambitious strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030, including the actions described below; calls on the Commission to place greater emphasis on the fight against discrimination and hate against persons with disabilities;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 a. Calls on the Commission to include concrete and binding measures, including legal instruments where appropriate, in the updated strategy to ensure uniform protection of disability rights across the Union;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 b. Calls on the Commission to take further actions to address the gaps relating to the free movement of persons with disabilities and the mutual recognition of disability status and rights across the EU, including the gaps in the EU Disability Card, by exploring the possibility of a directive on the freedom of movement of persons with disabilities in order to establish shared responsibility among the Member States, and to ensure that equal access and non-discrimination are at the heart of future European initiatives;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 c. Calls on the Commission to include clear and measurable targets and indicators in the updated strategy in order to reinforce the monitoring of its implementation by the Member States;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation, where relevant, along with maintaining the horizontal enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD;	10. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation, where relevant and notably under the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme or its successor, along with maintaining the horizontal enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD; recalls that, according to the UNCRPD, the EU should mainstream a disability perspective in all its policies;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 a. Highlights the need for both physical and digital public services and appropriate infrastructure in public spaces to be made accessible to all persons with disabilities;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 b. Underlines that facilities and services must be made accessible to ensure equal access to justice; calls on the Commission and the Member States to promote inclusive and accessible environments, services, practices and devices, to take appropriate measures and provide adequate funding to guarantee affordable, safe and effective access to justice for persons with disabilities and to ensure that assistance and accessible communication and information are provided at all stages of the process;

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Welcomes the creation of the European accessibility centre AccessibleEU and calls for this body to be strengthened through the creation of a permanent regulatory agency to support the implementation and monitoring of accessibility legislation in the EU and to promote a more accessible Europe;	11. Welcomes the creation of the European accessibility centre, AccessibleEU, and calls for this body to be strengthened through the creation of a permanent regulatory agency to support and enhance the implementation and monitoring of accessibility legislation in the EU and to best promote a more accessible Europe, such as through digital accessibility and education;

Amendment  39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
12. Calls for the development of new technologies to ensure accessibility, and for the participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of design, development and implementation of technologies, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination;	12. Recalls that persons with disabilities continue to face systemic barriers in accessing essential digital services, for example e-government, telehealth, online banking, digital education and consumer platforms; calls for the development of new technologies, such as AI, to be aligned with the principles of universal design to ensure accessibility, and for the participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of design, development and implementation of technologies, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination; calls on the Commission to ensure that EU digital legislation provides for accessibility from the outset; calls on the Commission to introduce minimum EU-wide digital accessibility standards for financial services, including mandatory compliance with the European Accessibility Act1a and the Web Accessibility Directive1b;
	_________________
	1a Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services, (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj).
	1b Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies (OJ L 327, 2.12.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/2102/oj).

Amendment  40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that all information is made fully accessible to persons with disabilities, and calls for the launch of a dedicated EU programme to provide digital skills training for persons with disabilities in order to expand access to modern assistive technologies, including speech-to-text, screen readers, alternative input devices, and accessible interfaces, to foster their full participation in digital society; calls on the Member States to promote assisted learning in inclusive traditional settings, so that children with disabilities have equal access to inclusive and quality education at all levels, starting from early childhood;

Amendment  41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats;	14. Highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats; calls on the Commission to expand the scope of the European Disability Card in this regard to ensure the safety, dignity and autonomy of persons with disabilities throughout the entire travel experience across all Member States in order to ensure freedom of movement;

Amendment  42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15 a. Recalls that legal and practical barriers that prevent persons with disabilities from exercising the same political rights as other EU citizens can lead to the under-representation of persons with disabilities in politics; urges the Commission to provide guidance and support to Member States to ensure that reasonable accommodation is provided in order to guarantee the right to vote of persons with disabilities;

Amendment  43

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15 b. Calls on the Commission to provide guidance and support to Member States to move towards decision-making schemes in which persons with disabilities are included, in line with the UNCRPD, in order to uphold their autonomy and not limit their capacity to act and exercise legal capacity; invites the Commission to develop a recommendation on legal capacity and supported decision-making;

Amendment  44

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15 c. Believes that the right to live independently and to be included in the community can only be guaranteed if alternatives to institutions are developed; highlights that community-based support services and supportive living arrangements provide a better quality of life for persons with disabilities; calls on the Commission and the Member States to adopt a shift from institutional and other segregating settings to a person-centred approach and to provide appropriate support in order to ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities; further calls for an EU strategy on the transition from institutions to independent living and community-based services, based on improved quantitative and qualitative data on people living in institutions across the EU; calls on the Commission to support the Member States with this strategy;

Amendment  45

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15 d. Calls on the Commission to allocate funds to support independent living solutions for persons with disabilities in all their diversity, including for supported housing, personal support and autonomous mobility;

Amendment  46

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
16. Recognises that persons with disabilities encounter obstacles in accessing education and employment, and calls for the Union of Skills to enable greater investment in inclusive education, adaptations and accessibility in digital and vocational training, as well as to provide support in the transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodation in the workplace;	16. Recognises that persons with disabilities encounter obstacles in accessing education and employment, and calls for the Member States and the Union of Skills to enable greater investment in inclusive education, adaptations and accessibility in digital and vocational training, as well as to provide support in the transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodation in the workplace;

Amendment  47

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17 a. Urges the Commission to improve its monitoring of the use of EU funds, including considering the suspension, withdrawal or recovery of payments if the obligation to respect fundamental rights is breached; welcomes the Commission’s new guidance notice on independent living and inclusion in the community in the context of EU funding and takes note that it should be referenced in the funding regulations for the next multiannual financial framework;

Amendment  48

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17 b. Calls on the Member States to develop inclusive transitional centres for young adults with disabilities who age out of child support services; stresses that these centres should offer education, skills training, and health and psychosocial services tailored to promoting independent living and social inclusion;

Amendment  49

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
20. Recalls the essential role of the ESF+ in supporting actions for persons with disabilities and insists that the ESF+ should be maintained as the main instrument for social cohesion; notes, however, that there is no special earmarking to address the needs of persons with disabilities under the ESF+; underlines that the Member States must use this fund in compliance with the UNCRPD;	20. Calls on the Commission to dedicate targeted funds to the exclusive purpose of supporting persons with disabilities; recalls the essential role of the ESF+ in supporting actions for persons with disabilities and insists that the ESF+ should be maintained as the main instrument for social cohesion; notes, however, that there is no special earmarking to address the needs of persons with disabilities under the ESF+; underlines that the ESF+ is a key tool to support deinstitutionalisation in the Member States, where possible; reminds the Member States that they must use this fund in compliance with the UNCRPD and that enabling conditions which refer to the Conventions and deinstitutionalisation should be maintained; calls on the Commission to include earmarked funding to support community-based independent living, inclusive education, personalised employment support and social protection reforms specifically targeting persons with disabilities;

Amendment  50

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities, and calls, therefore, for support for housing including by using existing support for renovation, and for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible and disability-inclusive social housing;	21. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities to live independently and to be socially included, and calls on the Member States to examine possible ways to provide support for housing including by using existing support for renovation projects, and for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible and disability-inclusive social housing;

Amendment  51

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Recognises the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities face higher rates of violence against women and domestic violence;	22. Recognises the challenges faced by persons with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities in all their diversity and of all backgrounds face higher rates of violence against women, cyberviolence and domestic violence, including cases of forced sterilisation, forced abortion and physical restraining; calls on the Commission to explore this important intersection between gender and disability; calls on the Commission to take a strong stance on banning forced sterilisation, with no exception based on disability or legal capacity, and to ensure equal access to sexual and reproductive healthcare, justice and compensation for victims, and calls on the EU Member States that have not done so to ratify the Istanbul Convention1a;
	_________________
	1a The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention).

Amendment  52

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Deplores the fact that children with disabilities continue to face social exclusion and do not have the necessary support at school; urges the competent authorities in the Member States to make the necessary arrangements in this regard, and meet the children’s needs;

Amendment  53

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 b. Emphasises that persons with disabilities are at higher risk of being the victims of hate speech and hate crime; welcomes the Commission proposal to extend the list of EU crimes to hate speech and hate crime; urges the Council to take measures in order to reach an outcome on this process;

Amendment  54

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Recalls the need to give visibility to the rights of women with disabilities and their role as active participants in society;	23. Reminds the Commission and the Member States of the need to give visibility to the rights of persons with disabilities and their role as active participants in society through, for example, awareness-raising campaigns, targeted especially at children and young people, designed with the active involvement of the people directly concerned and the civil society organisations that represent them;

Amendment  55

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Calls on the Commission to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare for women in all their diversity, including barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities;	24. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare for people in all their diversity, including barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities;

Amendment  56

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 a. Urges the Member States to ensure accessible healthcare communication for deaf, hard of hearing and deafblind persons, in line with Article 25 of the UNCRPD and national legislation;

Amendment  57

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay;	25. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen their efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay;

Amendment  58

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 a. Notes the Commission’s commitment to launching a study to evaluate the implementation of Article 30 of the UNCRPD in order to support Member States in developing and implementing policies to increase the participation of, and support to, persons with disabilities in sport, culture art and leisure activities; stresses, in particular, the importance of access to sports and recreational facilities for children with disabilities, as essential elements for their physical, psychological and social well-being and their inclusion in society;

Amendment  59

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 b. Strongly deplores the Commission’s intention to withdraw the Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive from its 2025 work programme, and urges the Commission to immediately reconsider this decision, thereby respecting the majority positions in both Parliament and the Council; urges the Commission to continue its efforts to achieve a Union of Equality and to unblock this file; urges the Member States to reach a compromise agreement as soon as possible; reaffirms its support for proposals on anti-discrimination legislation to protect the right to equality of persons with disabilities in all areas of life;

Amendment  60

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 c. Calls on the Member States to promote assistance so that persons with disabilities can exercise their rights in all areas of life, and in accessing justice, such as the provision of procedural accommodations including sign language interpretation, video testimony and information in Braille or easy-to-read formats;

Amendment  61

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 d. Calls on the Commission, in line with the UNCRPD, to ensure that digital environments and communication technologies are equally accessible to persons with disabilities in order to respect their rights to access information and freedom of expression, with due attention to their right to personal data protection;

Amendment  62

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 e. Recalls that both the EU and the Member States should step up their actions to ensure the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UNCRPD and to strengthen rights protection, while respecting their respective competences; urges the Commission to provide the necessary support to Member States to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to the bodies designated pursuant to Article 33(2) of the UNCRPD so they can fulfil their tasks effectively and efficiently;

Amendment  63

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
26. Insists that the EU should support candidate countries to undertake concrete measures to align with the EU’s accessibility standards prior to their accession;	26. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to increase their efforts to ensure equal rights for persons with disabilities outside the EU, in particular in relation to candidate countries; insists, therefore, that the EU should support, and provide its expertise to, candidate countries to undertake concrete measures to align with the EU’s accessibility standards prior to their accession;

Amendment  64

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Underlines that the Union should further mainstream the disability rights dimension in its external action and cooperation policies, in particular in the gender action plan and the human rights and democracy action plan, and calls on the Commission to present an EU disability action plan for external action;	27. Underlines that the Union should further mainstream the disability rights dimension in its external action and cooperation policies, in particular in the gender action plan and the human rights and democracy action plan, and calls on the Commission to present an EU disability action plan for external action that includes binding disability inclusion criteria for all relevant EU-funded external aid and development programmes, and to ensure the active participation of organisations of persons with disabilities from partner countries;

Amendment  65

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Asks the Commission to include Parliament at a political level in the Disability Platform and to establish an interinstitutional structured dialogue to follow up on, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Member States in all areas and in all policies, sharing best practice and providing recommendations;	30. Asks the Commission to include Parliament at a political level in the Disability Platform and to establish an interinstitutional structured dialogue to follow up on, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Member States in all areas and in all policies, sharing best practice and providing recommendations; recommends the involvement of persons with disabilities and their representatives in drafting and monitoring the regulations affecting their rights, given their direct experience and expertise;

Amendment  66

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 31

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
31. Invites the Commission to present evaluation reports on the implementation of regulations and directives related to persons with disabilities, following the end of the transposition period, and to take any necessary actions;	31. Invites the Commission to present evaluation reports on the implementation of regulations and directives related to persons with disabilities, following the end of the transposition period, and to take any necessary actions; calls on the Member States to transpose said regulations and directives within the set time limits and with the highest possible level of ambition;

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

 

The rapporteur for opinion declares under her exclusive responsibility that she did not include in her opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[40], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	15.7.2025
Result of final vote	+ : 60 - : 0 0 : 14
Members present for the final vote	Magdalena Adamowicz, Abir Al-Sahlani, Giuseppe Antoci, Francisco Assis, Malik Azmani, Nikola Bartůšek, Krzysztof Brejza, Saskia Bricmont, Jaroslav Bžoch, Mélissa Camara, Susanna Ceccardi, Caterina Chinnici, Alessandro Ciriani, Lena Düpont, Marieke Ehlers, Estrella Galán, Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Evin Incir, Paolo Inselvini, Irena Joveva, Erik Kaliňák, Marina Kaljurand, Mariusz Kamiński, Assita Kanko, Fabienne Keller, Moritz Körner, Murielle Laurent, Fabrice Leggeri, Jeroen Lenaers, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Michael McNamara, Ana Catarina Mendes, Verena Mertens, Nadine Morano, Matjaž Nemec, Ana Miguel Pedro, Chloé Ridel, Ilaria Salis, Birgit Sippel, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Petra Steger, Cecilia Strada, Tineke Strik, Georgiana Teodorescu, Tomas Tobé, Milan Uhrík, Tom Vandendriessche, Kristian Vigenin, Charlie Weimers, Sophie Wilmès, Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik, Alessandro Zan, Javier Zarzalejos
Substitutes present for the final vote	Konstantinos Arvanitis, Fredis Beleris, David Casa, Geadis Geadi, Monika Hohlmeier, Nikola Minchev, Hannah Neumann, João Oliveira, Leoluca Orlando, Oliver Schenk, Alexander Sell, Sander Smit, António Tânger Corrêa, Pekka Toveri, Roberto Vannacci
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Laurent Castillo, Christian Doleschal, Pietro Fiocchi, Pär Holmgren, Andrey Kovatchev, Andrea Wechsler

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

60	+
ECR	Ciriani Alessandro, Geadi Geadis, Kaminski Mariusz, Kanko Assita, Teodorescu Georgiana, Weimers Charlie
NI	Kalinák Erik
PPE	Adamowicz Magdalena, Beleris Fredis, Brejza Krzysztof, Casa David, Castillo Laurent, Chinnici Caterina, Doleschal Christian, Düpont Lena, Hohlmeier Monika, Kovatchev Andrey, Lenaers Jeroen, Mertens Verena, Morano Nadine, Pedro Ana Miguel, Schenk Oliver, Smit Sander, Tobé Tomas, Toveri Pekka, Wechsler Andrea, Zarzalejos Javier
Renew	Al-Sahlani Abir, Azmani Malik, García Hermida-Van Der Walle Raquel, Joveva Irena, Keller Fabienne, Körner Moritz, McNamara Michael, Minchev Nikola, Wilmès Sophie
S&D	Assis Francisco, Incir Evin, Kaljurand Marina, Laurent Murielle, López Aguilar Juan Fernando, Mendes Ana Catarina, Nemec Matjaz, Ridel Chloé, Sippel Birgit, Smiszek Krzysztof, Strada Cecilia, Vigenin Kristian, Zan Alessandro
The Left	Antoci Giuseppe, Arvanitis Konstantinos, Galán Estrella, Oliveira João, Salis Ilaria
Verts/ALE	Bricmont Saskia, Camara Mélissa, Holmgren Pär, Neumann Hannah, Orlando Leoluca, Strik Tineke

 

0

-

 

14	0
ECR	Fiocchi Pietro, Inselvini Paolo
ESN	Sell Alexander, Uhrík Milan, Zajaczkowska-Hernik Ewa
PfE	Bartusek Nikola, Bzoch Jaroslav, Ceccardi Susanna, Ehlers Marieke, Leggeri Fabrice, Steger Petra, Tânger Corrêa António, Vandendriessche Tom, Vannacci Roberto

 

Key:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstentions

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY (18.07.2025)

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

(2025/2057(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Giusi Princi

 

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality submits the following to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible :

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women of 18 December 1979,

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention) of 11 May 2011, which entered into force for the EU on 1 October 2023,

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the concluding observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD Committee) of 21 March 2025 on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union,

Amendment  4

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the report of 2 August 2022 of the fifteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1a and to the note by the Secretariat to the fifteenth session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities1b,
	_________________
	1a CRPD/CSP/2022/5.
	1b CRPD/CSP/2022/4.

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action,

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Citation 11 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on work-life balance for parents and carers and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU1a,
	_________________
	1a OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, p. 79, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/1158/oj.

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Citation 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission communication of 5 March 2020 entitled ‘A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025’ (COM(2020)0152),

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Citation 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 March 2025 entitled ‘A Roadmap for Women’s Rights’ (COM(2025)0097),

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Citation 32 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to its resolution of 6 July 2022 on intersectional discrimination in the European Union: the socio-economic situation of women of African, Middle-Eastern, Latin-American and Asian descent1a,
	_________________
	1a OJ C 47, 7.2.2023, p. 184.

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Citation 35 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to its resolution of 29 November 2018 on the situation of women with disabilities1a,
	_________________
	1a OJ C 363, 28.10.2020, p. 164.

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Recital A

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
A. whereas, on 3 March 2021, the Commission put forward the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 (the strategy) with the aim of promoting equal opportunities and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Europe and around the world;	A. whereas, on 3 March 2021, the Commission put forward the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 (the strategy) with the aim of promoting equal opportunities and full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Europe and around the world; whereas, as reported by the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in its concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union, the strategy lacks focus on the rights of women with disabilities and their specific challenges and needs; whereas data collection fails to adequately capture the impact of ableism in perpetuating stereotypes and discrimination and does not sufficiently address issues of inclusion and intersectionality; whereas comprehensive and comparable data collection at EU level is essential to design effective targeted support policies for persons with disabilities and their families;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Recital A a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	A a. whereas neither the Commission Roadmap for Women’s Rights nor the 2020-2025 gender equality strategy sufficiently take into consideration, or thus protect, the rights of women with disabilities; whereas the way in which the Gender Action Plan III is being implemented in the context of EU external action does not consistently take account of the experiences of individuals, such as women with disabilities, who face multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination;

Amendment  13

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	B a. whereas in many Member States, children with disabilities continue to be educated in segregated settings and face significant barriers to inclusive education; whereas these barriers include a shortage of qualified teachers and support staff, a lack of reasonable accommodation, inaccessible school infrastructure, rigid and standardised curricula that do not address diverse learning needs, as well as persistent stigma and discriminatory attitudes; whereas an intersectional analysis of educational attainment by gender and disability reveals that women with disabilities have the lowest rate of tertiary education completion, at only 18 %; whereas, by contrast, the highest rate is observed among women without disabilities, with 34 % holding a tertiary qualification; whereas, despite some progress being made through the introduction of the European disability card, the Erasmus+ programme does not fully cover disability-related expenses such as personal assistance abroad and access to properly equipped accommodation and school residences for young people, or take into account the specific needs of female students with disabilities, related, for instance, to their sexual and reproductive health;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Recital C

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
C. whereas, as recognised in the Commission communication on the Union of Skills, persons with disabilities face persistent challenges in access to quality work and training, with existing programmes often falling short on adequately addressing their needs or ensuring accessibility;	C. whereas, as recognised in the Commission communication on the Union of Skills, persons with disabilities face persistent challenges in access to quality work and training, with existing programmes often falling short on adequately addressing their needs or ensuring accessibility; whereas the representation of women with disabilities declines progressively at higher levels of education and professional advancement, partly due to persistent stereotypes; whereas this is particularly evident in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), where women with sensory, hidden and visible disabilities face additional barriers because of the inaccessibility of educational tools and learning environments; whereas there is a pressing need to develop and implement more accessible educational resources to ensure equal opportunities;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Recital C a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C a. whereas women with disabilities face significant barriers and gaps in the European labour market, with only 49 % of them in paid employment compared to 69.3 % of women without disabilities; whereas, furthermore, merely 20 % of women with disabilities1a are employed full-time compared to 29 % of men with disabilities, 48 % of women without disabilities, and 64 % of men without disabilities1b;
	_________________
	1a European Disability Forum, 2023
	1b European Disability Forum, https://www.edf-feph.org/content/uploads/2022/09/EDF-recommendations-on-employment-of-women-with-disabilities-September-2022-final.pdf.

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Recital C b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	C b. whereas among the working-age population (20-64 years), gender disparities remain substantial, with 46.8 % of women with disabilities being economically inactive compared to 42.9 % of their male counterparts1a; whereas only 51.3 % of active, working-age persons with disabilities in the EU are in paid employment, significantly lower than 75.6 % of persons without disabilities; whereas the resulting ‘disability employment gap’ stands at 24.4 %, with some Member States having even lower percentages than the average;
	_________________
	1a Eurostat, Activity rates by level of disability (activity limitation) and educational attainment level, https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/databrowser/view/lfsa_argaeddl__custom_13947475/default/table?lang=en; International Labour Organization Working Paper 124, – ‘A study on the employment and wage outcomes of people with disabilities’, https://www.ilo.org/sites/default/files/2024-08/WP124_web.pdf.

Amendment  17

Motion for a resolution

Recital E

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
E. whereas 28.4 % of persons with disabilities live in or are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.4 % of persons without disabilities;	E. whereas 28.4 % of persons with disabilities live in or are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 18.4 % of persons without disabilities; whereas 29.8 % of women with disabilities are at risk of poverty and social exclusion, compared to 27.6 % of men with disabilities and 17.3 % of women without disabilities1a; whereas intersecting barriers such as those in education and skills development, obstacles to employment and economic independence, along with the increased cost of living linked to disability-related expenses, are among the key factors contributing to the higher risk of poverty faced by women with disabilities, as well as the particularly difficult situation faced by families raising children with disabilities, and single mothers and carers in particular, who often encounter multiple economic, care and housing barriers, and who lack access to adequate public support;
	_________________
	1a European Commission, 2025 report on gender equality in the EU, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2838/5262357.

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Recital F

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
F. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU, and they face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, as well as high rates of violence against women and domestic violence;	F. whereas women with disabilities constitute 29.2 % of the female population in the EU, and they face exclusion and discrimination in all areas of life, including limited access to education, employment, healthcare and justice, as well as high rates of violence against women and domestic violence, with women with disabilities being two to five times more likely to experience violence than women without disabilities, including gender-based, sexual and domestic violence and disability-specific forms of violence such as forced sterilisation1a and forced abortion; whereas 34 % of women with health problems or disabilities have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by a partner in their lifetime1b; whereas such violence leads to severe health consequences, psychological trauma and social and economic exclusion; whereas, in this regard, current measures to protect the rights of persons with disabilities, including victims of crime – particularly minors – are often inaccessible or fail to provide the necessary adequate and reasonable1c accommodations;
	_________________
	1a European Disability Forum, ‘Combating violence against women with disabilities’, https://www.edf-feph.org/content/uploads/2024/11/Guide-Combating-violence-against-women-with-disabilities.pdf.
	1b UN Women, Paper on sexual harassment against women with disabilities in the world of work and on campus, https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/Library/Publications/2020/Discussion-paper-Sexual-harassment-against-women-with-disabilities-en.pdf.
	1c EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities, (see ANED, 2018, p 103f).

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Recital F a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F a. whereas women and girls with disabilities are shaped by intersecting identities that can lead to specific forms of discrimination, which are prohibited under Article 21 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, such as those based on various grounds, including gender, sex, characteristics, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age, or sexual orientation, or additionally against homeless persons, refugees, migrants, Roma and other minorities, which can be further aggravated by social and economic factors, in particular for those living in poverty or coming from different ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds; whereas these inequalities are compounded by intersecting forms of discrimination based on gender and disability, and women and girls with disabilities are often also exposed to additional forms of discrimination, such as those previously mentioned; whereas intersectional discrimination impacts women with disabilities in all areas of their lives;

Amendment  20

Motion for a resolution

Recital F b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F b. whereas families continue to play a key role in the support and inclusion of persons with disabilities, and evidence shows that women, in particular, often in the roles of mothers, sisters or daughters, currently remain the most involved in providing unpaid care, which is still undervalued; whereas family care responsibilities should be equally shared between men and women;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Recital F c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F c. whereas LGBTIQ+ persons with disabilities face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination such as difficulties in accessing appropriate and respectful care, as well as receiving the highest incidence of inappropriate comments from healthcare providers, and are at significant increased risk of physical violence, with nearly half of such cases involving sexual violence;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Recital F d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F d. whereas persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls, face barriers in relation to their sexual and reproductive health; whereas forced sterilisation, a serious human rights violation, remains legal or not explicitly prohibited in 14 Member States, with three allowing the sterilisation of minors;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Recital F e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F e. whereas in the EU, forced sterilisation is a serious violation of fundamental rights, and persons with disabilities should be protected against this practice by the EU Charter and the UNCRPD; whereas the European Court of Human Rights has affirmed states’ duty to provide legal safeguards against non-consensual sterilisation; whereas Directive (EU) 2024/13851a classifies forced sterilisation as a form of violence against women;
	_________________
	1a Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence, (OJ L, 2024/1385, 24.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1385/oj).

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Recital F f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F f. whereas legal and physical restrictions preventing persons with disabilities from participating in political life are in violation of Article 29 of the UNCRPD, depriving around 400 000 voters of their right to vote in the European elections; whereas challenges such as hate speech, harassment, stereotypes and bias in politics are worse for women with disabilities who have multiple intersecting identities; whereas women and girls with disabilities, especially those living in rural areas or belonging to marginalised communities, face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, which hinder their access to education, healthcare, employment and participation in public life; whereas in line with Article 23 of the UNCRPD, the rights of persons with disabilities, in particular women, should be supported in all matters related to marriage, family and parenthood, as well as founding, maintaining and participating in family life, on an equal basis with others, free from discrimination and with adequate access to support services, as well for addressing work-life balance challenges1a;
	_________________
	1a UNCRPD, Article 23 on respect for home and the family.

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Recital F g (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	F g. whereas women and girls with intellectual, cognitive or psychosocial disabilities frequently encounter disbelief when reporting abuse and are often excluded from criminal proceedings, especially when deprived of legal capacity, such as in the case of persons on the autism spectrum; whereas current EU legislation does not extensively address forced sterilisation, sexual harassment or other forms of gender-based violence, which disproportionately affect women with disabilities; whereas access to specialised services for victims with disabilities remains insufficient and there are no tailored protection mechanisms for deaf women and girls when accessing services or reporting abuse;

Amendment  26

Motion for a resolution

Recital G a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G a. whereas progress towards ensuring equal access and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities varies among Member States and regions, including outermost regions, with women and girls with disabilities facing particular challenges, in view of intersecting inequalities due to both their gender and disability, and discrimination, including in access to education, employment, healthcare and protection from violence; whereas their situation is often overlooked in public policies;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Recital G b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G b. whereas women and girls with disabilities are disproportionately affected by crises, including health emergencies, armed conflict and humanitarian crises, and climate-related disasters, and whereas their needs are often overlooked, while they face compounded barriers in accessing emergency services, healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health and rights services, shelters, and information; whereas the UNCRPD recognises that the rights of persons with disabilities are particularly adversely affected during emergency situations, according to a global survey1a; whereas 84 % of the persons with disabilities surveyed said they have no personal preparedness plan for disasters, an increase from 71 % in 2013, and whereas 56 % reported not being aware of, or having access to, disaster risk information; whereas only 8 % of those surveyed reported that local disaster risk reduction plans (DRR) addressed the specific needs of persons with disabilities, and 86 % reported having no participation in community–level DRR decision-making and planning; whereas preparedness and crisis response and humanitarian policies and plans must adopt an intersectional gender and disability lens to ensure equal protection and participation;
	_________________
	1a UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2023 Global Survey on Persons with Disabilities and Disasters.

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Recital G c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	G c. whereas in low and middle-income countries, women are estimated to form up to three-quarters of persons with disabilities, and whereas they are at greater risk of poverty than men with disabilities due to their limited access to education and vocational skills and development opportunities; whereas women with disabilities have restricted access to health services, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights services, and face stigma and negative attitudes when accessing such services; whereas they are often overlooked in development policies and programmes, and whereas there is no reference to women and girls with disabilities in UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality; whereas the recent cuts in US development assistance, with diversity, inclusion and equity programmes being targeted, and the additional cuts by European donors, will have a severe negative impact on funding for gender equality, and on women's rights and the rights of  persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities; whereas funding to local organisations of women with disabilities was already limited prior to the funding cuts;

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 1

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
1. Acknowledges that the strategy sets EU objectives and priorities for action in several policy areas including employment, education, non-discrimination and social protection; notes that the strategy addresses most of the shortcomings identified in the 2010-2020 European disability strategy;	1. Acknowledges that the strategy sets EU objectives and priorities for action in several policy areas including independent living, employment, education, healthcare, non-discrimination and social protection; notes that the strategy addresses most of the shortcomings identified in the 2010-2020 European disability strategy;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	2 a. Deeply regrets the Commission’s intention to withdraw the Horizontal Anti-Discrimination Directive from its 2025 work programme, which has been blocked for years in the Council, and urges the Commission to reverse its decision; reaffirms its support for proposals on anti-discrimination legislation to protect the right to equality of persons with disabilities in all areas of life; calls on the Member States to work towards a resolution of the outstanding issues so as to allow the legislative process to proceed;

Amendment  31

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers when it comes to healthcare services, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living;	3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, still face considerable barriers when it comes to healthcare and support services, including access to sexual and reproductive healthcare services, as well as education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living; notes that this is particularly true for women with disabilities who face intersecting and cumulative forms of discrimination in all of the aforementioned areas;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	3 a. Draws particular attention to the need for integrated and multidisciplinary care services for women with disabilities, including in the areas of mental health, gynaecological care, perinatal support and support in crisis situations, such as domestic violence;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	3 a. Recognises the importance of day centre services for persons with intellectual disabilities and for the development of their essential skills; underlines the need for sufficient investment in such services;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
4. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life and an increase in social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, and persons with disabilities therefore continue to face a higher risk of poverty and social exclusion;	4. Underlines that, while employment leads to multiple positive outcomes for persons with disabilities, such as higher incomes, improved quality of life and an increase in social inclusion, participation in the open labour market remains a major challenge, and persons with disabilities, especially women, therefore continue to face a higher risk of unemployment, poverty and social exclusion; emphasises the existence of a significant gender and disability employment gap, with women with disabilities being particularly affected; stresses that the employment disadvantage experienced by women with disabilities, compounded by additional disability-related costs, including healthcare, specialist assistance, medical equipment and the adaptation of housing to remove architectural barriers, significantly undermines their economic status and constitutes a barrier to them achieving economic independence and autonomous living; highlights that this increased risk of poverty and social exclusion also heightens their exposure to gender-based violence, including domestic violence and other forms of exploitation and abuse;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 – point 1 (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	(1) Calls on the Commission and the Member States to explicitly include women and girls with disabilities to ensure that all employment, training and upskilling programmes are fully accessible, inclusive and tailored to their specific needs, as persons with disabilities;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	4 a. Expresses concern that home care packages in Member States are not valued enough and stresses that they must be seen as an essential tool to allow persons with disabilities to live an independent and fulfilling life;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
5. Underlines that, to reach the EU targets of reducing the number of persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion by at least 15 million, it will be necessary to increase the employment rate of persons with disabilities, notably through support measures to ease access to jobs, together with reasonable accommodation measures in the workplace;	5. Underlines that, since 2021, the number of persons at risk of poverty or social exclusion in the EU has decreased by only 1.6 million, indicating limited progress toward the EU’s target of reducing this number by at least 15 million by 2030; expresses serious concerns that this target is unlikely to be met; stresses that the upcoming EU Anti-Poverty Strategy must include targeted and gender-based measures to address the causes of poverty faced by women with disabilities, notably by financing and providing a dedicated budget for personal assistance, which play a crucial role in enabling independent living and access to employment for persons with all kinds of disabilities, as well as to facilitate entrepreneurship, particularly for women, together with reasonable accommodation measures in the workplace and appropriate equipment;

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	5 a. Expresses deep concern about the fact that many persons with disabilities living in accommodation centres across Member States are living in unsuitable and congregated settings, which have a detrimental impact on their development and standard of life; calls for all accommodation centres to be properly resourced and funded to meet their needs;

Amendment  39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
6. Takes note of the evidence that reveals the continuing plight of persons with disabilities who are often unable to fully avail of their EU rights; is concerned that, despite progress at policy level, persons with disabilities are left behind in many aspects of life;	6. Takes note of the evidence that reveals the continuing plight of persons with disabilities, in particular those facing intersectional challenges, who are often unable to fully avail of their EU rights; is concerned that, despite progress at policy level, persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, are left behind in many aspects of life; recognises that the discrimination they face prevents them from exercising their rights as women and as persons with disabilities; takes note that these effects are felt to a pronounced degree by single parents – mainly mothers – of children with disabilities and by women caring for family members with disabilities, who often do not receive sufficient income support or support services; calls for stronger measures to ensure a more equal sharing of family care responsibilities between men and women, in order to relieve the disproportionate burden currently borne by women;

Amendment  40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 6 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	6 a. Encourages the Member States and the EU institutions to foster the political and civic participation of women with disabilities by removing physical, digital and attitudinal barriers in public life; recommends inclusive leadership and mentorship programmes and the use of EU funds to support the engagement of women with disabilities in policymaking, including through funding and meaningful consultations with organisations of women with disabilities;

Amendment  41

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 7

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
7. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received less attention, such as equal access to social protection, healthcare, transport, education, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission;	7. Considers that some of the policy areas covered in the strategy have received less attention, such as equal access to social protection, healthcare, including sexual and reproductive healthcare, transport, education, housing, and new skills and access to quality jobs; points out that women with disabilities face significant barriers in accessing healthcare, which violates their fundamental rights and can lead to systemic healthcare deprivation; calls for the incorporation of a gender perspective into health policies aimed at persons with disabilities and for mandatory training for medical staff on the rights of female patients with disabilities; regrets that there were no flagship initiatives under the policy area of equal access and non-discrimination, with very limited attention given to intersectional aspects, family support or inclusive education, and that the European disability and parking cards were the only legislative proposals put forward by the Commission; stresses that all persons with disabilities who are citizens of the European Union must have equal access to the EU Disability Card and the EU Parking Card, without additional barriers, regardless of their gender or region of origin – whether peripheral, rural, or cross-border; considers that all the aforementioned policy areas need to be implemented taking into account the different types of disabilities and the different ways in which they affect men and women; calls for this situation to be reversed  and requests that the strategy have specific targets, goals and monitoring mechanisms to ensure the full implementation of the strategy, and for legislative measures linked to these fields to be proposed, if and where appropriate;

Amendment  42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
8. Calls on the Commission to undertake a comprehensive mid-term evaluation of the strategy, including an impact assessment of the implemented flagship initiatives;	8. Calls on the Commission to undertake a comprehensive mid-term evaluation of the strategy, including an impact assessment of the implemented flagship initiatives and its gender and intersectional impact; underlines that, as the seven flagship initiatives were identified prior to 2024, the Commission must now define the measures and initiatives needed to address the persistent gap between persons with and without disabilities during the second half of the strategy’s implementation period, as well as between men and women with disabilities;

Amendment  43

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 8 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	8 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to develop gender-responsive, disability-inclusive emergency preparedness and response strategies, ensuring that women and girls with disabilities are actively consulted and included in crisis planning and response mechanisms; highlights the need for accessible shelters, early warning systems and health services, and for the representation of women with disabilities in relevant crisis governance structures;

Amendment  44

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
9. Stresses that, considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030, including the actions described below;	9. Stresses that, considering the persistent challenges persons with disabilities face, there are obvious gaps where more EU action is needed post-2024, including the concrete implementation of the strategy at national level, supported by measures that primarily strengthen income security and labour market participation; calls on the Commission, therefore, to put forward an updated strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities for the period 2025-2030, including the actions described below in developing such a strategy, and backed by adequate resources, specifically earmarked for addressing the distinct needs of persons with disabilities, with particular attention to the needs of women with disabilities; calls on the Commission to hold regular consultations with civil society and women with disabilities, and to regularly assess the implementation of the commitments undertaken to ensure meaningful progress;

Amendment  45

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 a. Calls for combating gender stereotypes in education systems and for the provision of accessible educational formats tailored to the needs of girls and boys with various kinds of disabilities, including through teacher training and bias-free educational materials;

Amendment  46

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 b. Calls on the Member States to promote inclusive education systems that are fully accessible to children with disabilities, with a specific gender lens to address the disproportionate dropout rates of girls with disabilities and to ensure their full participation in STEM and digital literacy programmes;

Amendment  47

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 c. Encourages the Member States to invest in inclusive education and lifelong learning systems that take into account the needs of girls and young women with disabilities, including by countering gender stereotypes in curricula and career guidance;

Amendment  48

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9 d. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the post-2024 strategy pays greater attention to the role of women in the family, as evidence shows that women are still bearing the majority of the caregiving commitments, as well as to a more equal sharing of care responsibilities between men and women;

Amendment  49

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
10. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation, where relevant, along with maintaining the horizontal enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD;	10. Calls on the Commission, as part of the implementation of the strategy, to include the rights of persons with disabilities in the post-2027 multiannual financial framework regulation with targeted programmes, where relevant, along with maintaining the horizontal enabling condition on the implementation of the UNCRPD; stresses, in this regard, that EU cohesion policy is key to enhancing accessible, affordable and adaptable social services for groups in vulnerable situations, especially women and girls with disabilities; calls, furthermore, for specific attention to be paid in the upcoming gender equality strategy to the situation of women with disabilities who face multiple and intersectional forms of discrimination;

Amendment  50

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the update of the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities post-2024 is drafted in coordination with the upcoming EU Gender Equality Strategy, the EU Anti-Poverty Strategy, as well as the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan post-2025 and the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy post-2025; emphasises the need for these frameworks to integrate an intersectional approach into policymaking, to propose further actions and flagship initiatives, and to specifically address poverty and social exclusion experienced by women and girls with disabilities;

Amendment  51

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 b. Underlines that, as an obligation stemming from the UNCRPD, the EU must mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities through all programmes in the multiannual financial framework post-2027; considers it essential to ensure that persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, have equitable access to all programmes funded by the EU, in line with the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030; urges the Commission to develop a methodology to track spending that benefits persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls, and to verify that all programmes and EU-funded projects guarantee gender-equal opportunities and access to EU funding for persons with disabilities;

Amendment  52

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 c. Stresses the urgent need for gender- and age-disaggregated data on persons with disabilities across the Member States, with a particular focus on the intersection of disability with other grounds, to support evidence-based policymaking and targeted inclusion measures, and to monitor progress in achieving equality and inclusion for women and girls with disabilities;

Amendment  53

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 d. Calls on the Commission to closely monitor the adoption, implementation and impact of policy measures in the Member States, including those related to accessibility, such as the disability employment package, in order to ensure that accessibility-related gender gaps in employment, poverty and access to social protection, education and healthcare are being effectively reduced, also within the framework of the European Semester and in line with its social indicators;

Amendment  54

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 10 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	10 e. Encourages the allocation of EU resources, where appropriate, to projects that empower caregivers, who are often women, especially in rural or economically disadvantaged regions, including access to respite services, psychological support and training opportunities;

Amendment  55

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 11

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
11. Welcomes the creation of the European accessibility centre AccessibleEU and calls for this body to be strengthened through the creation of a permanent regulatory agency to support the implementation and monitoring of accessibility legislation in the EU and to promote a more accessible Europe;	11. Welcomes the creation of the European accessibility centre, AccessibleEU, and calls for this body to be strengthened through the creation of a permanent regulatory agency to support the implementation and monitoring of accessibility legislation in the EU and to promote a more accessible Europe; underlines the need to ensure the full and effective implementation of current legislation aimed at promoting the equal participation of persons with disabilities in society, such as Directive (EU) 2019/8821a (the European Accessibility Act), through regular monitoring;
	_________________
	1a Directive (EU) 2019/882 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on the accessibility requirements for products and services, (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 70, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/882/oj).

Amendment  56

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
12. Calls for the development of new technologies to ensure accessibility, and for the participation of persons with disabilities in all phases of design, development and implementation of technologies, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination;	12. Calls for the development of new digital technologies and online platforms to ensure accessibility and avoid the need for physical presence; calls for the participation of persons with disabilities, especially women and girls, in all phases of design, development and implementation of technologies, in order to mitigate any risk of discrimination, without prejudice to the need for public services, both physical and digital, to be made accessible from the design stage (‘inclusion by design’) and for alternatives to digital services to be provided for persons with disabilities, particularly women, at all times, such as physical counters and telephone assistance; calls for the promotion and support of personal assistance policies as a pre-condition for autonomy, independent living and active participation in society for persons with disabilities, particularly women;

Amendment  57

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 13 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	13 a. Points out that the lack of labels and product information available in alternative formats (e.g. audiovisual, simplified language, easy-to-read language) particularly affects older people and children with disabilities; calls for the development of consumer information accessibility standards that take into account the diverse needs of users, including parents and carers of persons with disabilities, who, as evidence shows, are often women; underlines that accessible labelling and digital accessibility should also consider gender-specific needs, including the needs of women with disabilities who may face additional barriers in understanding or interacting with product information due to low digital literacy or exclusion from design processes;

Amendment  58

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
14. Highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats;	14. Highlights the need to revise existing EU legislation on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles such as trains, buses, planes and boats, as well as support for pilot projects aimed at developing smart mobility solutions using low-complexity applications and voice assistance, in order to facilitate autonomous travel for persons with disabilities, with a particular focus on ensuring access for women with disabilities, especially those living in rural and remote areas who are disproportionately affected by transport poverty and exclusion; stresses the need to enhance accessibility equally in all physical spaces, including public buildings, sports centres, and recreational and tourist facilities, calling for the integration of accessibility requirements into the design of tourism infrastructure and services, including accommodation and cultural sites, to ensure that persons with disabilities, particularly women, who are disproportionately isolated, can equally participate in leisure activities and cultural life;

Amendment  59

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
15. Welcomes the Commission’s guide of good electoral practices in Member States addressing the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process, published in 2023 ahead of the European elections, and asks the Commission to assess the results in the 2024 European elections and take the necessary legislative initiatives to address the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process for future elections;	15. Welcomes the Commission’s guide of good electoral practices in Member States addressing the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process, published in 2023 ahead of the European elections, and asks the Commission to assess the results in the 2024 European elections, in particular the participation of women living with disabilities in the elections, to take action to close data gaps in this regard, and to take the necessary legislative initiatives to address the participation of citizens with disabilities in the electoral process for future elections, both in terms of active and passive suffrage, removing physical and legal barriers, such as the denial of the right to vote for people under guardianship in some Member States 1a, ensuring that women with disabilities have the proper and necessary support to run as candidates and be politicians at all levels and paying particular attention to barriers faced by women with disabilities, persons with disabilities with racial or ethnic backgrounds and LGBTQIA+ persons with disabilities; stresses that this must be ensured by implementing accessibility features and reasonable accommodations, eliminating violence against women in elections, including harassment, and  raising awareness within society;
	_________________
	1a EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, ‘More people with disabilities can vote but barriers remain’, https://fra.europa.eu/en/news/2024/more-people-disabilities-can-vote-barriers-remain.

Amendment  60

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15 a. Stresses that persons with disabilities face specific barriers in exercising their civil rights, including access to electoral information, polling stations and registration procedures; calls for election campaigns, including audiovisual content, to be made fully accessible; stresses the need to further improve the accessibility of elections, as many persons with disabilities, particularly women and persons with intellectual disabilities, continue to face barriers, or are effectively excluded from the electoral process, resulting also in their lack of proper representation, as can be seen in the current under-representation of disabled Members of the European Parliament; calls, in this sense, for measures to ease electoral procedures, facilities, materials and information in order to ensure that all individuals with disabilities can vote independently and in secrecy, including the provision of reasonable accommodations, such as alternative voting methods, advance voting options, tactile stencils, QR codes, or accessible guidance in formats such as easy-to-read language, sign language, or Braille; calls, furthermore, for the right to freely choose a person to assist in casting one’s vote;

Amendment  61

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
16. Recognises that persons with disabilities encounter obstacles in accessing education and employment, and calls for the Union of Skills to enable greater investment in inclusive education, adaptations and accessibility in digital and vocational training, as well as to provide support in the transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodation in the workplace;	16. Recognises that persons with disabilities, in particular women and girls, encounter obstacles in accessing education and employment, and calls for the Union of Skills to enable greater investment in inclusive education through adequate adaptations and accessibility measures; underlines the need to support learners with disabilities throughout the entire education cycle and encourages the Member States to fulfil their obligation to provide quality, inclusive education, while receiving EU support in doing so; calls on the Commission to ensure that the use of artificial intelligence in education, as referred to in the Commission’s 2022 ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence and data in teaching and learning for educators, does not lead to discrimination against persons with disabilities, but rather becomes an empowering tool to create equal opportunities; insists that the implementation of the digital education action plan should guarantee accessibility for students with disabilities; stresses the importance of ensuring that Erasmus+ covers all disability-related expenses, particularly for women and girls with disabilities, in order to ensure their full participation in mobility programmes; highlights the need to facilitate a smooth transition to employment through adapted training and reasonable accommodation in the workplace;

Amendment  62

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16 a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that all flagship initiatives and actions under the Union of Skills are inclusive of persons with disabilities and have a strong disability and gender equality dimension;

Amendment  63

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16 b. Stresses the need to tailor inclusive education and vocational training programmes to the needs of young women and girls with disabilities, especially in male-dominated sectors, in order to reduce gender and disability-based employment gaps;

Amendment  64

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16 c. Encourages the development of EU-supported entrepreneurship and reskilling programmes for women with disabilities, particularly in green and digital sectors, to address the compounded barriers to economic independence;

Amendment  65

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16 d. Calls on the Commission to strengthen the family and informal carer dimension of the European Disability Strategy post-2024 through a new flagship initiative that would include EU-funded actions aimed at facilitating access for informal carers and family members with disabilities to community and in-home support services, non-segregated housing, respite care, training and guidance;

Amendment  66

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16 e. Calls for a Council recommendation on early intervention to promote and disseminate good practices among Member States aimed at ensuring that all children and families with disabilities receive the support they need; calls, in this sense, on the Member States, in providing pre-school childcare, to place emphasis not only on accessibility, but also on the quality and affordability of that care, in particular for children with disabilities, while taking into account the needs of parents with disabilities; calls, furthermore, on the Member States to improve public investment in early childhood education and care for these groups of people;

Amendment  67

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
17. Calls on the Commission to establish an EU-funded employment and skills guarantee for persons with disabilities, without age restrictions, aimed at facilitating access to employment, training and further education, and to ensure that all programmes are fully accessible and designed to support the transition from sheltered employment to regular employment, including reasonable accommodation measures where relevant;	17. Calls on the Commission to establish an EU-funded employment and skills guarantee for persons with disabilities, without age restrictions, aimed at facilitating access to employment, training and further education, and to ensure that all programmes are fully accessible and designed to support the transition from sheltered employment to regular employment, including reasonable accommodation measures, where relevant, with special attention to removing intersectional barriers faced by women with disabilities, coming, for instance, from rural and underdeveloped areas, disadvantaged or migrant, ethnic and racial backgrounds, Roma communities, as well as those affected by poverty or low educational attainment; emphasises the need to promote independent living rather than investing in institutionalised settings, ensuring that persons with disabilities have ownership of their lives; calls for resources to be redirected towards the development of community-based services, personal assistance and policies that make public services, such as housing, education, transport and healthcare, available and accessible to persons with disabilities, while taking into account the intersecting barriers faced by women with disabilities in their roles as individuals, caregivers and parents;

Amendment  68

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
18. Insists, in the context of the review of the EPSR and its action plan in 2025, and of an update of the Disability Employment Package, on the explicit recognition of all employment models of persons with disabilities, respecting dignity and labour rights in line with the UNCRPD and ensuring fair and accessible working conditions for persons with disabilities;	18. Insists, in the context of the review of the EPSR and its action plan in 2025, and of an update of the Disability Employment Package, on the explicit recognition of all employment models of persons with disabilities, respecting dignity and labour rights in line with the UNCRPD and ensuring fair and accessible working conditions for persons with disabilities; underlines the need to recognise and appropriately value care work, including the work of social assistants and informal carers, who are often women and who face structural undervaluation, insufficient remuneration and economic discrimination; calls on the Commission to closely monitor the impact of Directive (EU) 2019/1158 on work-life balance on the rights of working parents and carers with disabilities; calls for particular attention to be paid to removing barriers faced by employers in hiring persons with disabilities, by providing simple procedures and appropriate support, among other measures; calls, in particular, for the recognition of the socio-economic impact borne by mothers caring for children with disabilities, and for adequate measures to compensate and mitigate the long-term negative consequences of this on their income and participation in the labour market, such as through investments in public infrastructure and services to support carers; stresses the need to promote policies that favour the equal sharing of care responsibilities between mothers and fathers;

Amendment  69

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 a. Urges the Commission to address the lack of recognition of informal care work carried out by women with disabilities or those caring for family members with disabilities, by supporting Member States in designing social protection schemes and career transition measures;

Amendment  70

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 b. Underlines that carers of children with disabilities, especially women, often encounter significant barriers in accessing healthcare;

Amendment  71

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 18 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	18 c. Calls for the provision of adequate healthcare, psychological support and counselling services both to women, particularly mothers of children with disabilities, and to persons with disabilities themselves, stressing that many also lack access to the necessary community-based services and personal assistance that would enable them to live independently and be included in the community, as enshrined in Article 19 of the UNCRPD and reaffirmed in the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030;

Amendment  72

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 a. Recognises that persons with disabilities, particularly women, face greater challenges in achieving equal access in remote and rural areas, islands and outermost regions due to factors such as limited accessibility, inadequate infrastructure and insufficient resources, including in healthcare and education, which restrict their access to essential services; recognises that the limited job opportunities further limit the autonomy and economic independence of women with disabilities; calls on the Commission, therefore, to promote cohesion policies that also take into account the specific needs of women with disabilities;

Amendment  73

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 b. Calls for dedicated funding under the Social Economy Action Plan to support enterprises led by women with disabilities, particularly in rural and underdeveloped regions;

Amendment  74

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 19 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	19 c. Calls for the development of EU guidelines on supported pathways to adulthood that take into account the needs of girls and young women with disabilities requiring integrated actions to support their continued education, entry into the labour market and access to housing and support services;

Amendment  75

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20 a. Acknowledges the importance of targeted programmes within the ESF+ aimed at supporting employment and social inclusion initiatives, including entrepreneurship for women with disabilities through tailored entrepreneurial training and mentoring, microfinance and grants for self-employment, or the inclusion of women with disabilities in Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs, and encourages the Member States to promote all of the aforementioned activities and programmes;

Amendment  76

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 20 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20 b. Recalls the essential role of the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme in providing financial support to civil society organisations working to advance and defend disability rights across the Member States; calls for CERV and all its existing strands to be maintained and strengthened under the next multiannual financial framework;

Amendment  77

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
21. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities, and calls, therefore, for support for housing including by using existing support for renovation, and for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible and disability-inclusive social housing;	21. Considers that access to quality affordable and accessible housing represents a challenge in the EU, in particular for persons with disabilities; calls, therefore, for support for housing and measures that address additional energy poverty burdens on persons with disabilities, prioritising women and girls, especially those living alone or in institutional settings, and young persons with disabilities who are transitioning from institutional care or family homes to independent living, with attention to gender-based risks of homelessness, including by using existing support for renovation, and calls for the establishment of a fund within the framework of EU cohesion policy to support accessible, affordable and disability-inclusive social housing; calls for the integration of disability and accessibility aspects into the future European affordable housing initiative in order to ensure that persons with disabilities, particularly women, who are disproportionately affected by isolation and segregation, can fully benefit from the programme in accordance with their right to live independently and be included in the community;

Amendment  78

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
22. Recognises the challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities face higher rates of violence against women and domestic violence;	22. Recognises the specific challenges faced by women and girls with disabilities and notes that women with disabilities face higher rates of violence against women and domestic violence; stresses that 34 % of women with disabilities have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by a partner or non-partner, while 68 % of women with disabilities have experienced some form of violence, including psychological abuse, economic violence and harassment1a; notes that women and girls with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities, are disproportionately exposed to specific forms of gender-based violence, including forced sterilisation, forced abortion and non-consensual contraception; notes with concern that such practices are more frequent in cases where women have been deprived of legal capacity, which prevents them from recognising, reporting or resisting abuse; underlines that access to justice is severely limited when women with disabilities do not have legal standing, while perpetrators may include those in positions of care or authority; reiterates that accessibility must encompass not only physical access, but also procedural and legal accessibility, and calls on all Member States that have not yet ratified the Istanbul Convention to do so without delay, to ensure that all women are equally protected;
	_________________
	1a EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, 2014 report on violence against women.

Amendment  79

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to address the invisibility of violence against women and girls with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual, cognitive or psychosocial disabilities; recalls that under the new Directive (EU) 2024/1385 on combating violence against women, Member States are required to provide specific support for women with disabilities who are victims of violence, to take into account their specific circumstances when assessing their protection needs, recognising the intersection between certain forms of violence against women such as female genital mutilation and disability, which expose women and girls to multiple forms of discrimination and vulnerabilities and, to take targeted preventive measures in formats accessible to persons with disabilities in order to prioritise the prevention of violence against women with disabilities, both offline and online, in future legislation and strategies;

Amendment  80

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 b. Underlines the importance of developing a culture of non-violence based on respect for the human rights of women and girls with disabilities from the early stages of compulsory education, supported by all forms of information and communication technologies, promoting comprehensive awareness-raising campaigns from an early age through inclusive and accessible educational programmes; stresses the need to involve professionals trained in universal communication to empower women and girls with disabilities to recognise, prevent and report violence; calls strongly for the development of tailored materials and tools to overcome communication and cognitive barriers; highlights, furthermore, their increased vulnerability to institutional and economic violence, especially in closed care facilities and dependent care relationships; calls for the development of mechanisms to prevent such forms of violence and to ensure that independent complaints channels are accessible to all women with disabilities;

Amendment  81

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 c. Calls on the Commission to fulfil its commitment under the current Gender Equality Strategy to publish its recommendation on combating harmful practices, which should include a recommendation to ban forced sterilisation; calls on the Commission to take a strong stance on criminalising forced sterilisation with no exception based on disability or legal capacity, ensuring that such practices are explicitly recognised and prosecuted as criminal offences under EU law;

Amendment  82

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 d. Stresses the urgent need for the collection of systematic and disaggregated data on gender-based violence against women and girls with disabilities, including specific forms of gender-based violence such as forced sterilisation, forced abortion and involuntary contraception; calls for the inclusion of disability-specific indicators in national and EU-level statistics, such as statistics drawn up by the European Institute for Gender Equality, and for the documentation and dissemination of good practices;

Amendment  83

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 e. Calls for improved data collection on how the loss of legal capacity among women with disabilities undermines their ability to make autonomous decisions in key areas of life, including their reproductive rights, the right to motherhood and guardianship, and the ability to form and maintain relationships, own and inherit property and assets, pursue employment if they so choose, and exercise control over their own finances;

Amendment  84

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 22 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	22 f. Is concerned that few countries have provisions securing the right of persons with disabilities to access legal gender recognition; notes that legal gender recognition, even where allowed, might be inaccessible for women and girls under legal guardianship; calls on the Member States to adopt legal gender recognition legislation based on self-determination and taking into account accessibility needs for persons with disabilities;

Amendment  85

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
23. Recalls the need to give visibility to the rights of women with disabilities and their role as active participants in society;	23. Notes that neither the disability strategy nor the gender equality strategy provide for specific actions aimed at stimulating women’s political leadership and the active participation of women with disabilities in society; calls for specific initiatives to foster their participation in democratic processes and in public life, reversing the common narrative according to which they are often perceived only as persons in need of care or as victims, rather than active participants in society; emphasises the importance of promoting equal opportunities for women with disabilities, including supporting initiatives aimed at improving their access to leadership and decision-making roles across all sectors, so that the value of their work is fairly recognised and rewarded in higher positions; calls on the Commission and the Member States to actively promote the political participation of women with disabilities by removing structural barriers, ensuring accessibility in electoral and decision-making processes, supporting leadership training, and fostering inclusive representation in political parties, institutions and advisory bodies;

Amendment  86

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to invest in accessible, inclusive and targeted EU-wide learning tools and training programmes specifically designed to support leadership development among women with disabilities, taking into account intersecting barriers and ensuring availability in accessible formats (e.g. Braille, sign language, easy-to-read, etc.);

Amendment  87

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 b. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure equal access to justice for women with disabilities by making justice systems fully accessible, providing training for law enforcement and judicial personnel on disabilities, and guaranteeing accessible reporting mechanisms, legal aid and protection measures tailored to their needs;

Amendment  88

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 c. Calls on the Commission to establish a dedicated European support programme for women with disabilities who are mothers or caregivers, with the aim of strengthening their ability to remain in or enter the labour market through flexible working arrangements, remote training and targeted social benefits;

Amendment  89

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 23 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	23 d. Calls on the Commission to improve disaggregated data collection on the participation of women and girls with disabilities in the political, economic and social spheres, and to develop data collection systems that identify their diverse lived experiences, in close consultation with, and with the active involvement of, their representative organisations;

Amendment  90

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
24. Calls on the Commission to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare for women in all their diversity, including barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities;	24. Calls on the Commission to address, at EU level, the barriers to accessing healthcare, including sexual and reproductive healthcare services, for women in all their diversity; notes that these barriers can be exacerbated in certain regions, where their vulnerabilities are increased due to limited access to protection services, reporting mechanisms, trained local authorities and community-based support; calls, therefore, for the transposition and effective implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/1385 on combating violence against women and domestic violence in all EU Member States and their regions, as well as other mechanisms at EU level that address this issue;

Amendment  91

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure the full recognition and protection of the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and girls and LGBTQI+ persons with disabilities, removing legal, social and physical barriers in order to guarantee their autonomy, dignity and access to informed consent in all medical procedures, including access to comprehensive, accessible and inclusive information on contraception services and comprehensive, age-appropriate sex education; strongly condemns harmful practices such as forced or coerced sterilisation of persons with disabilities, including transgender and intersex persons in certain Member States; recalls that such practices constitute a grave violation of human rights and bodily autonomy, as highlighted by the UNCRPD; notes that both the UNCRPD Committee and the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities have called for the abolition of all forms of non-consensual medical treatment, including sterilisation; stresses that informed, free and prior consent must be the basis for any medical procedure, and calls for Member States to ensure access to justice and reparations for all victims of forced sterilisation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to urgently ensure the full prohibition and criminalisation of forced sterilisation across the EU;

Amendment  92

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 b. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers across all areas, but particularly when it comes to health and care services, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living, particularly women and girls with disabilities and persons with high support needs; underlines that inclusive education and awareness-raising campaigns are essential starting points for overcoming the medicalised approach to disability and for promoting personal autonomy, quality of life, interpersonal relationships and full participation in public life; highlights the lack of explicit legal protection against disability-based discrimination in healthcare, or for persons with disabilities facing systemic barriers to healthcare access, owing to healthcare providers’ disregard for their health concerns or automatic attribution of their health issues to disability, insufficient reasonable accommodations, lack of accessible materials and processes, and, lastly, the gaps in cross-border healthcare access, including the lack of accessible information provided by national contact points and the failure to reimburse disability-related expenses;

Amendment  93

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 c. Emphasises the importance of ensuring that all healthcare professionals receive comprehensive training and adopt a holistic approach that considers all relevant dimensions of well-being and disability, including gender; underscores that medical personnel must operate in a non-discriminatory manner and possess the necessary competencies to identify and address the specific needs of women and girls with disabilities; stresses the need to establish comprehensive accessibility standards across healthcare systems, requiring the Member States to develop easy-to-read medical materials, accessible administrative processes and communication training for healthcare professionals to support persons with intellectual disabilities;

Amendment  94

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 d. Emphasises the importance of ensuring access to mental health support for women and girls with disabilities, especially those exposed to gender-based violence or exclusion in educational or family settings; underlines that mothers with disabilities face additional challenges, in particular when it comes to maternal mental health, access to healthcare services or unpaid care work; stresses the need to remove structural and informational barriers that hinder preventive care such as cervical and breast cancer screenings; highlights the obstacles faced by women during pregnancy and motherhood, including the lack of adequate and accessible support services; underlines that inclusive education and awareness-raising campaigns are essential starting points for overcoming the medicalised approach to disability and for promoting personal autonomy, quality of life, interpersonal relationships and full participation in public life;

Amendment  95

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 e. Calls on the Commission to provide sufficient funding for the EU4Health programme in order to tackle health inequities for persons with disabilities; calls, furthermore, on the Commission to revise Directive (EU) 2024/28411a (the Patient Mobility Directive) to guarantee equal access to healthcare for persons with disabilities in cross-border situations and to support the Member States in implementing guidelines to increase access to healthcare;
	_________________
	1a Directive (EU) 2024/2841 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities, (OJ L, 2024/2841, 14.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/2841/oj).

Amendment  96

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24 f. Calls for the systematic collection of data on the situation of women and girls with disabilities in all relevant policy areas to enable the development of targeted policies;

Amendment  97

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
25. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay;	25. Calls on the Commission to strengthen its efforts to address discrimination faced by women with disabilities, including women with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities, pointing out that these women often perform unpaid care work, who continue to face high unemployment rates and lower pay, by investing in research on the gender pay gap and pension gap, actively involving the European Institute for Gender Equality, comparing women with disabilities to men with disabilities and women without disabilities1a, as well as by better enforcing Council Directive 2000/78/EC1b (the Employment Equality Directive) across the Member States and strengthening equality bodies, as provided for by Council Directive (EU) 2024/14991c; points out that these women often perform unpaid care work and are excluded from active labour market policies;
	_________________
	1a The European Institute for Gender Equality, ‘Gender equality and disability’, https://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/20181612_mh0418229enn_pdf_0.pdf.
	1b Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, (OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2000/78/oj).
	1c Council Directive (EU) 2024/1499 of 7 May 2024 on standards for equality bodies in the field of equal treatment between persons irrespective of their racial or ethnic origin, equal treatment in matters of employment and occupation between persons irrespective of their religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, equal treatment between women and men in matters of social security and in the access to and supply of goods and services, and amending Directives 2000/43/EC and 2004/113/EC, (OJ L, 2024/1499, 29.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1499/oj).

Amendment  98

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 a. Calls on the Commission to assess whether the diverse needs of parents with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities are taken into account when exercising their rights to maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, care leave and flexible working conditions; urges the Commission and the Member States to grant extended family leave periods, including maternity and paternity leave, to parents with disabilities;

Amendment  99

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 b. Highlights the structural and intersectional barriers to employment and economic independence for older persons with disabilities, in particular older women with disabilities who have not received adequate attention in the Disability Strategy; calls for targeted initiatives to support their participation in lifelong learning, upskilling and entrepreneurship;

Amendment  100

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 c. Calls on the Commission to mandate and provide adequate resources to the European Institute for Gender Equality and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights to conduct EU-wide research on the intersectional aspects of poverty, including on poverty and social exclusion faced by women with disabilities;

Amendment  101

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25 d. Recognises the challenges faced by older persons with disabilities, in particular in terms of access to healthcare and support, independent living, social protection, protection from violence and abuse, and equal participation in society, who have not received adequate attention in the Disability Strategy; calls on the Commission to take action, at EU level, to address the intersectional barriers faced by older persons with disabilities in equally enjoying their rights;

Amendment  102

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 26 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	26 a. Urges the EU to ensure that accessibility standards are harmonised and properly implemented in candidate countries, with particular attention to services used by women and girls, including healthcare, transport and education;

Amendment  103

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 27

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
27. Underlines that the Union should further mainstream the disability rights dimension in its external action and cooperation policies, in particular in the gender action plan and the human rights and democracy action plan, and calls on the Commission to present an EU disability action plan for external action;	27. Underlines that the Union should further mainstream the disability rights dimension in its external action and cooperation policies, in particular in the gender action plan and the human rights and democracy action plan; highlights that persons with disabilities in war-torn and conflict-affected areas face unique and heightened risks, including challenges in accessing safe zones, humanitarian assistance and evacuation routes; notes, with particular concern, the situation of child amputees in Gaza and others with mobility impairments; calls on the Commission to take into account the intersectional nature of disability in conflict settings, including age, gender and type of impairment, when designing and implementing EU humanitarian and protection policies; calls on the Commission to present an EU disability action plan for external action;

Amendment  104

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
28. Considers it necessary to include persons with disabilities in EU-funded humanitarian aid to ensure that there is an inclusive, accessible and effective approach;	28. Considers it necessary to include persons with disabilities in EU-funded humanitarian aid and development programmes, including specific measures to protect women and persons with disabilities in conflict and post-conflict settings, to ensure that there is a dedicated and inclusive approach to women with disabilities that addresses their specific and intersectional identity; calls on the Commission to prioritise funding for gender equality and the rights of women, including women living with disabilities, and stresses that disability-sensitive sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence prevention and response programming must be considered as life-saving in humanitarian responses; underlines the need to foster strong partnerships with, and provide funding to, local organisations and networks of women and girls with disabilities that are often best placed to respond to needs, but most impacted by funding cuts, and to strengthen their participation in decision-making processes; underlines the need for the Commission to apply an inclusive programme design approach and to strengthen disaggregated data collection using an intersectional approach, while also reporting the needs of persons with disabilities in its development and humanitarian policies and in its annual human rights report;

Amendment  105

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 28 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	28 a. Reiterates that women with disabilities often face even bigger challenges and dangers in conflict-affected countries and war zones; highlights, therefore, the need to support and protect women with disabilities in the EU’s external policies; calls on the Commission to adopt a dedicated and inclusive approach to persons with disabilities in the design and implementation of its foreign, security, humanitarian and development policies, recognising that armed conflicts significantly increase the risk of physical disabilities and long-term psychological trauma, particularly among women and girls, and emphasising that the specific experiences and needs of women with disabilities are too often overlooked in post-conflict peacebuilding processes and negotiations; stresses the need to promote disability inclusion within the Women, Peace and Security Agenda;

Amendment  106

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
30. Asks the Commission to include Parliament at a political level in the Disability Platform and to establish an interinstitutional structured dialogue to follow up on, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Member States in all areas and in all policies, sharing best practice and providing recommendations;	30. Asks the Commission to include Parliament at a political level in the Disability Platform and to establish an interinstitutional structured dialogue to follow up on, monitor and evaluate the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Member States in all areas and in all policies, sharing best practice and providing recommendations; stresses that such dialogue should ensure that organisations representing women and girls with disabilities are involved, with a view to guaranteeing that their needs and experiences form an integral part of the evaluation and formulation of public policies;

Amendment  107

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	30 a. Stresses that the lack of sex-disaggregated data on the experiences of women with disabilities, particularly considering disparities across different regions, including outermost regions, hinders the development of both legislative and non-legislative measures that effectively address their specific needs; asks the Commission to ensure that monitoring and evaluation frameworks include data disaggregated also by type of disability in order to better inform policy; calls for the promotion of the development of such data and the sharing of best practices among regions and Member States;

Amendment  108

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	30 b. Encourages the development of awareness-raising campaigns at national and EU level to combat harmful stereotypes and prejudices about disability that also affect women with disabilities, with an emphasis on empowering messages and representation, and greater visibility in the media;

Amendment  109

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	30 c. Calls on the Member States to develop strategies to combat bullying and harassment, including in educational contexts and online, against children and young people, that include the ground of disability among the list of discrimination criteria;

Amendment  110

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	30 d. Underlines that the collection of comparable and robust disaggregated equality data is indispensable to the documentation of discrimination and in tackling inequality in a holistic manner; calls on the Commission to develop common standards for recording individual forms of discrimination, including the ability to list more than one ground of discrimination concurrently, in order to capture intersectionality in the statistics, especially gender-specific data;

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

Pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she included in her opinion input on matters pertaining to the subject of the file that she received, in the preparation of the opinion, from the following interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[41], or from the following representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies:

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

European Disability Forum

Forum Italiano della Disabilità

Garante regionale della Disabilità Regione Calabria

European Network for Indipendent Living (ENIL)

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

 

The list above is drawn up under the exclusive responsibility of the rapporteur for opinion.

Where natural persons are identified in the list by their name, by their function or by both, the rapporteur for opinion declares that she has submitted to the natural persons concerned the European Parliament’s Data Protection Notice No 484 (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/data-protect/index.do), which sets out the conditions applicable to the processing of their personal data and the rights linked to that processing.

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+ : 27 - : 3 0 : 3
Members present for the final vote	Abir Al-Sahlani, Irmhild Boßdorf, Mélissa Camara, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Valérie Devaux, Elisabeth Dieringer, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Viktória Ferenc, Heléne Fritzon, Lina Gálvez, Chiara Gemma, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Assita Kanko, Ewa Kopacz, Elena Kountoura, Judita Laššáková, Eleonora Meleti, Maria Noichl, Mirosława Nykiel, Sirpa Pietikäinen, Giusi Princi, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Benedetta Scuderi, Marko Vešligaj, Lucia Yar, Dainius Žalimas
Substitutes present for the final vote	Kathleen Funchion, Hanna Gedin, Elisabeth Grossmann, Sabrina Repp, Beatrice Timgren
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Regina Doherty, Jutta Paulus

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

27	+
ECR	Gemma Chiara, Kanko Assita
PPE	Doherty Regina, Estaràs Ferragut Rosa, Gerzsenyi Gabriella, Kopacz Ewa, Meleti Eleonora, Nykiel Miroslawa, Pietikäinen Sirpa, Princi Giusi
Renew	Al-Sahlani Abir, Devaux Valérie, Yar Lucia, Zalimas Dainius
S&D	Fritzon Heléne, Gálvez Lina, Grossmann Elisabeth, Noichl Maria, Repp Sabrina, Scheuring-Wielgus Joanna, Vesligaj Marko
The Left	Funchion Kathleen, Gedin Hanna, Kountoura Elena
Verts/ALE	Camara Mélissa, Paulus Jutta, Scuderi Benedetta

 

3	-
PfE	Dieringer Elisabeth, Ferenc Viktória, de la Pisa Carrión Margarita

 

3	0
ECR	Timgren Beatrice
ESN	Boßdorf Irmhild
NI	Lassáková Judita

 

Key:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstentions

 

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON PETITIONS (16.7.2025)

for the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

on the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024

(2025/2057(INI))

Rapporteur for opinion: Pál Szekeres

 

AMENDMENTS

The Committee on Petitions submits the following to the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, as the committee responsible:

Amendment  1

Motion for a resolution

Citation 4 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the concluding observations of 21 March 2025 of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of the UNCRPD, on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union,

Amendment  2

Motion for a resolution

Citation 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	– having regard to the Commission communication of 7 June 2023 entitled ‘A comprehensive approach to mental health’ (COM(2023)0298),

Amendment  3

Motion for a resolution

Citation 20 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	20a. having regard to the Commission notice of 20 November 2024 entitled ‘Guidance on independent living and inclusion in the community of persons with disabilities in the context of EU funding’ (C(2024)7188),

Amendment  4

 

Motion for a resolution

Recital B a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ba. whereas the Committee on Petitions (PETI) plays a specific protection role within the EU, particularly regarding compliance with the UNCRPD, whereas approximately 1 % of all petitions received each year by the PETI Committee relate to various disability issues; whereas information stemming from petitions submitted to Parliament by persons with disabilities or on disability issues can serve as a source of information concerning gaps in the implementation of EU law and the UNCRPD at both national and EU level, and can help to frame legislation in all policy areas; whereas petitioners’ most common concerns regarding disabilities centre around discrimination and barriers to equal treatment in education, employment and accessibility, including public transport, social protection, and the right to live independently in the community and demonstrate the need for stronger enforcement of equal treatment obligations under current EU legislation; whereas petitions have repeatedly highlighted that these limitations lead to lower participation and increased risks of social and economic exclusion; whereas persons with disabilities should enjoy all fundamental freedoms of the EU including the freedom to live with dignity and without prejudice, with full access to Union rights;

Amendment  5

Motion for a resolution

Recital D a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Da. whereas only 51.3 % of active, working-age persons with disabilities in the EU are in paid employment, significantly lower than the 75.6 % of persons without disabilities; whereas the resulting ‘disability employment gap’ stands at 24.4 %, with some Member States having even lower percentages than the average; whereas the employment rate of young persons and women with disabilities in the EU is particularly low, at only 47.4 % and 49 % respectively; whereas there is a 21.5 percentage point gap between the employment rates of young people with and without disabilities;

Amendment  6

Motion for a resolution

Recital E a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	Ea. whereas citizens bring to the European Parliament’s notice their concern, when exercising their right of petition, that persons with disabilities often face disproportionate barriers in accessing affordable and sustainable housing; whereas the lack of accessibility in housing exacerbates social exclusion and prevents persons with disabilities from living independently and fully participating in society;

Amendment  7

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 2

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
2. Notes that the Commission has completed six out of seven flagship initiatives;	2. Notes that, according to the Commission, it has completed six out of seven flagship initiatives;

Amendment  8

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 3

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers when it comes to healthcare services, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living;	3. Underlines that across Europe, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers when it comes to healthcare services, including mental health, higher education and skills development, and having adequate standards of living;

Amendment  9

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 5 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	5a. Calls on the Member States to promote inclusive education systems that are fully accessible to children with disabilities, with a specific gender lens to address the disproportionate dropout rates of girls with disabilities and ensure their full participation in STEM and digital literacy programmes;

Amendment  10

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9a. Calls on the Commission to guarantee in the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 a commitment to full transparency and full public access to documents and information concerning ongoing and closed EU pilot and infringement procedures, so as to ensure full understanding of actions by the EU institutions and Member States’ authorities to solve violations of EU law that undermine the rights of persons with disabilities; notes that this disclosure is also beneficial for the follow-up of open petitions;

 

Amendment  11

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9b. Regrets that in its concluding observations on the combined second and third periodic reports of the European Union, the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities noted with concern that various instruments for the participation of organisations for persons with disabilities are not representative of or accessible to persons with disabilities in the EU and that persons with disabilities are not informed about all ongoing consultations that would affect their rights; believes that the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 should aim at improving all existing participatory mechanisms at EU level concerning legislation, policy and programming, by making them fully representative of persons with disabilities, ensuring that they are accessible to persons with disabilities and that all participants are fully informed about the consultations and their time frames, modalities and outcomes;

Amendment  12

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 9 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	9c. Believes that the strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities post-2024 should lay down that all EU institutions, bodies, offices and agencies must ensure full and consistent implementation of all the Ombudsman’s recommendations in order to underline the Ombudsman’s paramount role in protecting the rights of persons with disabilities;

Amendment  13

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12a. Underlines that persons with disability should enjoy the fundamental freedoms of the EU including the right to work and to participate in social and political life; believes that the best guarantee for advancement of rights of persons with disabilities is their direct participation as candidates and elected representatives at all levels of governance; draws attention also, as highlighted in several petitions submitted to Parliament, to persistent discrimination and barriers faced by women and girls with disabilities and highlights the urgency of mainstreaming the protection of women and girls with disabilities in all relevant EU and national policies; encourages the participation of persons with disabilities in civil society organisations; calls upon the Commission to consider the measures necessary to promote the participation of persons with disabilities in civil society initiatives and organisations; calls for the inclusion of persons with disabilities and their representative organisations in Member States in all areas and in all policies; notes with regret, as evidenced in petitions submitted to Parliament, that many persons with disabilities still face barriers in accessing information and communication due to limited availability of accessible formats and the lack of recognition of national sign languages (NSLs) as part of the EU’s multilingualism; stresses the need for EU institutions to provide reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities, particularly in relation to communication-related accessibility such as captioning and sign language interpretation; calls for the amendment of the rules of procedure of EU institutions to reflect the rights of deaf persons, including the recognition of the 29 NSLs and to increase the availability of information in easy-to-read format, in line with the recent Concluding Observations of the UNCRPD;

Amendment  14

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12b. Stresses that digitalisation and AI must be aligned with the principles of universal design and accessibility; recalls that persons with disabilities continue to face systemic barriers to accessing essential digital services including online banking, e-government, telehealth, digital education, and consumer platforms; calls on the Commission to ensure that all EU digital legislation mandates accessibility from the outset;

Amendment  15

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12c. Calls for the launch of a dedicated EU programme to provide digital skills training for persons with disabilities and to expand access to modern assistive technologies, including speech-to-text, screen readers, alternative input devices, and accessible interfaces, to foster full participation in digital society;

Amendment  16

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 12 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	12d. Urges Member States to ensure accessible healthcare communication for deaf, hearing-impaired, and deafblind persons, including the provision of sign language interpreters, real-time captioning and support technologies in all public health facilities, in line with Article 25 of the UNCRPD and national legislation;

Amendment  17

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	14a. Stresses, based on petitions submitted to Parliament on disability-related issues, the need to improve and enforce accessibility standards across all aspects of public life, including the built environment, transport, digital services, and communication tools; emphasises that true inclusion requires a constant emphasis on accessibility in all its forms; emphasises the need for compliance with standard EN 17210:2021 on ‘Accessibility and usability of the built environment – Functional requirements,’ developed by CEN-CLC/JTC 11, which establishes common minimum functional requirements based on Design for All / Universal Design principles ; regrets the prolonged standardisation process, noting that this key standard for accessible built infrastructure was only adopted in 2021; believes that the Petitions Portal should be more accessible and the petitions process should be more visible to all individuals and organisations in the EU, including persons with disabilities; regrets the failure to comply with the UNCRPD in public transport systems of many Member States and calls for swift implementation of the Disability Card and European Parking Card alongside improved transport accessibility; emphasises the need for inclusion through design in the New European Bauhaus and other European and national initiatives which can promote sustainability along with accessibility; calls for the full implementation and continuous monitoring of all accessibility-related legislation, in order to effectively and definitively remove and prevent barriers in the built environment for persons with disabilities, and to improve and ensure the availability of accessible services and the suitability of the conditions under which these services are provided; calls, moreover, for the involvement of the Disability Platform in identifying ways to improve accessibility in proposed EU legislation and in the implementation of EU accessibility mandates in the Member States; invites the Commission to consider the potential of the AI revolution to enhance accessibility and inclusion, and to incorporate disability-centric approaches in ongoing and future AI initiatives, including speech recognition and generation tools to support communication for persons with speech and hearing impairments;

Amendment  18

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	14b. Urges the Commission to provide for in-depth revisions of the Air Passenger Rights Regulation1a and the Regulation on rail passengers’ rights and obligations, which seeks to improve the accessibility of rail infrastructure for persons with disabilities in order to prevent the persistent discrimination faced by persons with disabilities when travelling in the EU; __________________________________ 1a Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 295/91, OJ L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/261/oj.

Amendment  19

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 14 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	14c. Calls for an update of Regulation 1107/2006 concerning the rights of persons with disabilities travelling by air1a, where too often denial of boarding and damage or loss of mobility equipment still takes place; asks the Commission to ensure that the proposed future single digital booking and ticketing regulation is in line with EU accessibility standards and that persons with disabilities’ rights are guaranteed; ________________________________ 1a Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air, OJ L 204, 26.7.2006, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1107/oj.

Amendment  20

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15a. Stresses that although the UNCRPD does not explicitly mention autism or autistic persons, numerous petitions submitted to Parliament highlight the persistent challenges faced by autistic individuals, particularly children, across the EU; notes that disparities in diagnosis and divergent national disability assessment systems create significant barriers to recognition, mobility, and access to support, with direct negative impacts on the life choices and inclusion of autistic persons and their families; calls in this context on the Member States to ensure timely, equitable access to autism diagnosis for both children and adults, and to simplify the issuance of diagnostic certificates that enable access to disability-related rights and services; underlines the need for the EU Disability Strategy to put intellectual disabilities as an equally important field of action through targeted actions that promote the fundamental rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and mental health conditions; calls for urgent and sustained efforts to secure the effective implementation of the words and the spirit of the UNCRPD into effective rights of persons with mental health conditions, including those with psychosocial disabilities; calls for the recognition of the critical role of family and informal carers in supporting the welfare and inclusion of persons with disabilities and urges that national systems and European initiatives identify concrete ways to acknowledge their contribution and provide both formal and informal support to sustain their essential roles;

Amendment  21

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15b. Recalls that persons with disabilities, especially persons with psychosocial and intellectual disabilities are still being denied their legal capacity, which prevent them from accessing their EU rights; urges the Commission to provide guidance and support to Member states to rapidly phase out substituted decision-making schemes and to move towards decision-making schemes in line with the UNCPRD;

Amendment  22

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15c. Encourages the harmonisation of the rights of autistic people, with particular emphasis on improving access to diagnosis, healthcare, education, employment, accessibility, provision of reasonable accommodation, legal capacity, and lifelong community support, including in culture and sport; draws special attention to the particular role of Parliament in safeguarding the rights of children and their parents as many urgent petitions have been received on children’s rights, which require special attention and action;

Amendment  23

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15d. Stresses that persons with disabilities, particularly those with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities, are at risk of exclusion from digital justice systems due to inaccessible platforms and procedures; calls on the Commission and Member States to guarantee accessible online courts, legal information in easy-to-read format, and procedural accommodations to ensure equal access to justice;

Amendment  24

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15e. Urges the Commission to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to accessible, timely and effective complaint and redress mechanisms in cases of employment discrimination or unlawful dismissal; stresses the need for legal aid and procedural accommodations in tribunals and national authorities;

Amendment  25

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 15 f (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	15f. Expresses concern over reported violations, as raised by petitioners, of the rights of persons with disabilities in the justice system, including denial of effective legal representation and accessible court proceedings; calls on the Commission to monitor systemic barriers, such as the lack of speech-to-text and communication tools in courts, and take action to safeguard the right to a fair trial under Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

Amendment  26

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16a. Stresses that numerous petitions have highlighted widespread discrimination in access to education and employment faced by persons with disabilities, as well as persistent barriers that result in lower participation rates and an increased risk of social and economic exclusion; emphasises the need to apply and enforce existing EU equal treatment rules and the full implementation of the right of children with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities, to inclusive education on an equal basis with other children, in line with Article 24 of the UNCRPD, particularly in mainstream educational settings where students of all abilities learn together in the same classroom environment; underlines that the inclusion of persons with disabilities must begin as early as possible in the schooling system across all Member States, with enforceable rights to inclusive and accessible education that guarantee equitable access to mainstream education from early childhood to higher education, supported by the necessary adaptations and individualised support; underlines the imperative need to ensure sufficient numbers of qualified and trained educators, alongside the promotion of inclusive pedagogy and the systematic exchange of best practices, in order to effectively support inclusive education and combat the marginalisation of students with physical or intellectual disabilities;

Amendment  27

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to promote inclusive access to sports for persons with disabilities by supporting the development of accessible sports infrastructures, inclusive sports clubs, and grassroots sports programmes; underlines the need to provide public and EU funding for training, competitions, and professional and social development of athletes with disabilities, including Paralympic athletes and athletes with intellectual disabilities;

Amendment  28

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16c. Notes with concern the rise in petitions denouncing discriminatory dismissal practices faced by persons with disabilities, often following the onset or diagnosis of disability or after requesting reasonable accommodation; calls on the Commission to assess the implementation of the Employment Equality Directive1a with regard to job protection and to issue guidance to strengthen enforcement and monitoring of anti-discrimination obligations at national level; __________________________________ 1a Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation, OJ L 303, 2.12.2000, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2000/78/oj.

Amendment  29

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16d. Notes that several petitions point to a lack of awareness among both employers and employees about rights and obligations concerning disability and employment; calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen awareness campaigns and employer training on non-discrimination, job retention obligations, and the provision of reasonable accommodation;

Amendment  30

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 16 e (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	16e. Calls on the Commission to ensure the implementation of Article 30 of the UNCRPD by supporting initiatives that enable persons with disabilities, particularly children and young people, to participate equally in sports, including by establishing national and EU-wide programmes for inclusive physical education and adaptive sports in schools and communities;

Amendment  31

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17a. Highlights that information stemming from petitions submitted to Parliament reveal that work-related discrimination against persons with disabilities is interrelated with the lack of inclusive education and vocational training, as well as accessibility in housing, healthcare, transport, and services; emphasises that inclusive education and vocational training, based on the provision of reasonable accommodation in accordance with EU law, are essential prerequisites for full participation in society and the labour market; underlines the importance of providing support to persons with disabilities to live independently and equally with others in the community, regardless of their type of impairment and in accordance with reasonable accommodation as well as the expressed individual needs and calls on the Commission to better acknowledge the importance of accessible and quality support services and systems for independent living, grounded in personal freedom and social inclusion needs and encourages the sharing of best practices between Member States to support employment and skills development; calls, moreover, on the Commission to create an EU-funded programme that promotes reasonable accommodation to enhance employment opportunities and skills development for persons with disabilities, ensuring full accessibility and support for their transition into regular employment ; calls for proactive legislative and policy measures as well as reasonable accommodation measures to support inclusion in the open labour market, and the transition from sheltered to open labour markets;

Amendment  32

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17b. Stresses, based on a petition received by the European Parliament, the need for the Member States to develop inclusive transitional centres for young adults with disabilities whose age means they are no longer eligible for child support services, with the support of EU funding; underlines that these centres should provide comprehensive services, including education, skills training, healthcare, and psychosocial support, all tailored to foster independent living and promote social inclusion;

Amendment  33

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17c. Recognises the contradiction between access to employment and continued eligibility for disability-related welfare and independent living support in many Member States; stresses that gaining professional employment should not automatically disqualify persons with disabilities from receiving the support necessary for independent living, particularly in sectors with non-standard work patterns such as the cultural and creative industries; calls on the Commission to work with the Member States to improve awareness of this issue and promote reforms that ensure people with disabilities can become parties to short-term or freelance contracts without risking their long-term social protection;

Amendment  34

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 17 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	17d. Underlines the need to develop a holistic EU strategy on the transition from institutions to independent living and community-based services, which will focus on improved data collection on people living in institutions across the EU, use of EU funds to support the Member States with this transition, training support workers to offer more personalised support in line with the UNCRPD, strengthening the sector of service provision for persons with disabilities, and supporting families of persons with disabilities;

Amendment  35

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 21 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	21a. Notes that several petitions have raised the issue of inaccessible and unaffordable housing for persons with disabilities, including a lack of personal assistance and community-based services; urges the Commission to ensure that Member States comply with EU funding rules supporting deinstitutionalisation and access to independent living, and to investigate potential misuse of structural funds for institutional settings, as highlighted in petitions received by Parliament;

Amendment  36

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 24 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	24a. Recognises the particular vulnerability of LGBTIQ+ persons with disabilities, who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination; calls on the Commission and Member States to ensure specific protective measures, targeted support services, and training for care professionals are developed and implemented to address the compounded discrimination faced by this group;

Amendment  37

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure full access and participation of persons with disabilities in cultural life, in line with Article 30 of the UNCRPD; calls in particular for targeted support for artists with disabilities, including funding for the creation, promotion and distribution of their work, access to inclusive and accessible art education, and measures to ensure accessibility of cultural venues, residencies and festivals;

Amendment  38

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25b. Urges cultural institutions and media bodies at national and EU level to include persons with disabilities in cultural programming and representation, both on stage and behind the scenes; highlights the importance of inclusive casting, adaptive creative tools, and accessible formats to ensure that persons with disabilities can fully engage as creators, performers, curators and audiences;

Amendment  39

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 c (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25c. Encourages the integration of artists with disabilities in EU cultural diplomacy and international exchange programmes; calls on the Commission to support inclusive mobility schemes, artist residencies and collaborative projects that promote the international visibility of artists with disabilities and facilitate intercultural dialogue through accessible and inclusive art;

Amendment  40

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 25 d (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	25d. Calls on the Commission to ensure that EU cultural and creative programmes such as Creative Europe, Erasmus+ and the New European Bauhaus are fully inclusive of artists with disabilities, by introducing accessibility requirements, ring-fenced funding, and technical assistance to ensure participation of artists with disabilities, including those with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities;

Amendment  41

 

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 a (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	30a. Stresses that petitions received by Parliament are a valuable tool for identifying critical, possible and justifiable shortcomings in the implementation of the UNCRPD or legislation relating to the rights of persons with disabilities; calls therefore on the Commission and the Member States to systematically take into account the findings and concerns raised through petitions when monitoring and reviewing disability-related legislation and funding programmes; calls for greater involvement of persons with disabilities in policy making under the principle of ‘nothing about us without us’; urges the establishment of structured interinstitutional dialogue to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the EU’s strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities;

 

Amendment  42

Motion for a resolution

Paragraph 30 b (new)

Motion for a resolution	Amendment
	30b. Calls on the Commission, in cooperation with the PETI Committee, to publish an annual report summarising trends, issues and follow-up actions related to disability-focused petitions submitted to the European Parliament, such that this report should feed into the mid-term and final evaluations of the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;

 

 

 

 

 

ANNEX: DECLARATION OF INPUT

The rapporteur for opinion declares under his exclusive responsibility that he did not include in his opinion input from interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register[42], or from representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies, to be listed in this Annex pursuant to Article 8 of Annex I to the Rules of Procedure.

 

 

 

1. Interest representatives falling within the scope of the Interinstitutional Agreement on a mandatory transparency register

2. Representatives of public authorities of third countries, including their diplomatic missions and embassies

 

 

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

Date adopted	16.7.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	15 0 10
Members present for the final vote	Peter Agius, Fredis Beleris, Chiara Gemma, Isilda Gomes, Paolo Inselvini, Michał Kobosko, Murielle Laurent, Alexandra Mehnert, Ana Miranda Paz, Sandro Ruotolo, Bogdan Rzońca, Marcin Sypniewski, Pál Szekeres, Jana Toom, Nils Ušakovs, Ivaylo Valchev
Substitutes present for the final vote	Alex Agius Saliba, Mireia Borrás Pabón, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Fabrice Leggeri, Nikos Pappas
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	Niels Geuking, Reinhold Lopatka, Lara Magoni, Andrey Novakov, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Alexander Sell, Michał Szczerba

 

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL
BY THE COMMITTEE ASKED FOR OPINION

15	+
ECR	Chiara Gemma, Paolo Inselvini, Lara Magoni, Bogdan Rzońca, Ivaylo Valchev
PPE	Peter Agius, Fredis Beleris, Niels Geuking, Alexandra Mehnert, Andrey Novakov, Michał Szczerba
PfE	Mireia Borrás Pabón, Fabrice Leggeri, Pál Szekeres
S&D	Alex Agius Saliba

 

0	-

 

10	0
ESN	Alexander Sell, Marcin Sypniewski
Renew	Michał Kobosko, Jana Toom
S&D	Isilda Gomes, Murielle Laurent, Sandro Ruotolo, Nacho Sánchez Amor, Nils Ušakovs
Verts/ALE	Ana Miranda Paz

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

 

 

INFORMATION ON ADOPTION IN COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

Date adopted	23.10.2025
Result of final vote	+: –: 0:	48 0 7
Members present for the final vote	Maravillas Abadía Jover, Grégory Allione, Li Andersson, Marc Angel, Pascal Arimont, Konstantinos Arvanitis, Gabriele Bischoff, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Andrzej Buła, David Casa, Estelle Ceulemans, Per Clausen, Henrik Dahl, Johan Danielsson, Marie Dauchy, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Mélanie Disdier, Elena Donazzan, Gheorghe Falcă, Chiara Gemma, Niels Geuking, Isilda Gomes, Alicia Homs Ginel, Sérgio Humberto, Martine Kemp, Katrin Langensiepen, Miriam Lexmann, Marit Maij, Marlena Maląg, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Eleonora Meleti, Idoia Mendia, Letizia Moratti, Branislav Ondruš, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Hristo Petrov, Dennis Radtke, Nela Riehl, Liesbet Sommen, Villy Søvndal, Georgiana Teodorescu, Romana Tomc, Jana Toom, Raffaele Topo, Francesco Torselli, Brigitte van den Berg, Marianne Vind, Mariateresa Vivaldini, Petar Volgin, Séverine Werbrouck
Substitutes present for the final vote	Valérie Devaux, Kathleen Funchion, Rudi Kennes, Lara Magoni, Benedetta Scuderi
Members under Rule 216(7) present for the final vote	György Hölvényi

 

 

FINAL VOTE BY ROLL CALL BY THE COMMITTEE RESPONSIBLE

48	+
ECR	Elena Donazzan, Chiara Gemma, Lara Magoni, Georgiana Teodorescu, Francesco Torselli, Mariateresa Vivaldini
NI	Branislav Ondruš
PPE	Maravillas Abadía Jover, Pascal Arimont, Andrzej Buła, David Casa, Gheorghe Falcă, Niels Geuking, Sérgio Humberto, Martine Kemp, Miriam Lexmann, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Eleonora Meleti, Letizia Moratti, Dennis Radtke, Liesbet Sommen, Romana Tomc
Renew	Grégory Allione, Valérie Devaux, Hristo Petrov, Jana Toom, Brigitte van den Berg
S&D	Marc Angel, Gabriele Bischoff, Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, Estelle Ceulemans, Johan Danielsson, Isilda Gomes, Alicia Homs Ginel, Marit Maij, Idoia Mendia, Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Raffaele Topo, Marianne Vind
The Left	Li Andersson, Konstantinos Arvanitis, Per Clausen, Kathleen Funchion, Rudi Kennes
Verts/ALE	Katrin Langensiepen, Nela Riehl, Benedetta Scuderi, Villy Søvndal

 

0	-

 

7	0
ECR	Marlena Maląg
ESN	Petar Volgin
PPE	Henrik Dahl
PfE	Marie Dauchy, Mélanie Disdier, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión, Séverine Werbrouck

 

Key to symbols:

+ : in favour

- : against

0 : abstention

 

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• [11] OJ L 223, 22.6.2021, p. 14, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2021/1004/oj.
• [12] OJ C, C/2024/7188, 29.11.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7188/oj.
• [13] OJ C 177, 17.5.2023, p. 13.
• [14] OJ C 132, 14.4.2023, p. 23.
• [15] OJ C 132, 24.3.2022, p. 129.
• [16] OJ C 474, 24.11.2021, p. 48.
• [17] OJ C 371, 15.9.2021, p. 6.
• [18] OJ C 362, 8.9.2021, p. 8.
• [19] OJ C, C/2024/1181, 23.2.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/1181/oj.
• [20] OJ L 188, 12.7.2019, p. 79, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/1158/oj.
• [21] OJ C 363, 28.10.2020, p. 164.
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• [23] European Disability Forum, ‘Combating violence against women with disabilities’.
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• [25] DG IPOL, ‘The EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030’, November 2024, p.6.
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• [27] Regulation (EU) 2017/745 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 2017 on medical devices, amending Directive 2001/83/EC, Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 and Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and repealing Council Directives 90/385/EEC and 93/42/EEC (OJ L 117, 5.5.2017, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/745/oj).
• [28] Directive (EU) 2016/2102 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 October 2016 on the accessibility of the websites and mobile applications of public sector bodies (OJ L 327, 2.12.2016, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2016/2102/oj).
• [29] Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 establishing the European Electronic Communications Code,(OJ L 321, 17.12.2018, p. 36, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2018/1972/oj).
• [30] Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/444 of 16 December 2022 supplementing Directive (EU) 2018/1972 of the European Parliament and of the Council with measures to ensure effective access to emergency services through emergency communications to the single European emergency number ‘112’ (OJ L 65, 2.3.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2023/444/oj).
• [31] Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air (OJ L 204, 26.7.2006, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1107/oj).
• [32] Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 February 2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, and repealing Regulation (EEC) No 295/91, (OJ L 46, 17.2.2004, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2004/261/oj).
• [33] Commission Regulation (EU) No 1300/2014 of 18 November 2014 on the technical specifications for interoperability relating to accessibility of the Union's rail system for persons with disabilities and persons with reduced mobility, (OJ L 356, 12.12.2014, p. 110, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2014/1300/oj).
• [34] Directive (EU) 2018/1808 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 amending Directive 2010/13/EU on the coordination of certain provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning the provision of audiovisual media services, (OJ L 303, 28.11.2018, p. 69, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2018/1808/oj).
• [35] Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 October 2022 on a Single Market For Digital Services and amending Directive 2000/31/EC, (OJ L 277, 27.10.2022, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj).
• [36] Council Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on early childhood education and care: the Barcelona targets for 2030, (OJ C 484, 20.12.2022, p. 1).
• [37] Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violence, (OJ L, 2024/1385, 24.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/1385/oj).
• [38] Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (OJ L 207, 11.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2021/611/oj).
• [39] Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (OJ L 207, 11.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2021/611/oj).
• [40] Interinstitutional Agreement of May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (OJ L 207, 11.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2021/611/oj).
• [41] Interinstitutional Agreement of May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (OJ L 207, 11.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2021/611/oj).
• [42] Interinstitutional Agreement of May 2021 between the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on a mandatory transparency register (OJ L 207, 11.6.2021, p. 1, ELI:   http://data.europa.eu/eli/agree_interinstit/2021/611/oj).