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European Network on Independent Living
European Elections ToolkitFebruary 2019
Table of Contents1. Introduction................................................................32. Why vote in the European Elections?............................33. What is the European Parliament and what does it do?. 44. European Parliament elections.....................................55. European political parties............................................56. The right to vote.........................................................77. ENIL Elections Campaign 2019.....................................88. People Power—What can you do?.................................99. Useful tips and links..................................................12Annex One: ENIL Manifesto............................................13Annex Two: ENIL Questionnaire for candidate MEPs........21Contact information.......................................................25
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1. Introduction The European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is a Europe—wide network of people with disabilities, with members throughout Europe. Our organisation promotes equal opportunities for disabled people and fights against discrimination in Europe. ENIL’s mission is to advocate for Independent Living values, principles and practices, namely for a barrier–free environment, provision of personal assistant support and adequate technical aids, together making full citizenship of disabled people possible.ENIL has a long tradition of raising awareness of the rights of disabled people at the European level. ENIL’s flagship lobbying event every two years is the Freedom Drive which provides an opportunity for Freedom Drivers to discuss issues at the European level. The next Freedom Drive will be in the first week of October 2019 and will offer a great opportunity to speak to the newly elected Members of the European Parliament about disability rights.The ENIL Election Toolkit has been created to outline the importance of voting in the European Elections in May 2019 and to support you in identifying candidates that align with the independent living philosophy. We encourage you to be as active as possible in this campaigning period. The voice of every disabled person in Europe must be heard and counted! The power of disabled people who are champions of the independent living movement cannot be underestimated!
2. Why vote in the European Elections? There are a number of reasons why voting in the European Elections is important and how the decisions taken at a European level can have a direct effect on our daily lives. Below we will list some examples. For more detailed information on EU impact in your county you can also check the website: https://what-europe-does-for-me.eu/en/home European Union Legislation: EU regulations and directives have succeeded in speeding up the process of the adoption of national legislation that protect disabled people. For example, the EU Passenger Rights legislation obliged the member states to make their public transport more accessible.Use of the EU Structural Funds: How the European Union invests the Structural Funds plays a crucial role in deinstitutionalisation. It is imperative
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that these funds are used to invest in Personal Assistance and community based support and not to improve or to build more institutions in member states. The upcoming elections will be crucial for the adoption of the new legislation governing the use of the Funds after 2020. Therefore, we need to make sure the disability voice is heard loud and clear. Decrease the Democratic Deficit: The European Parliament is the only directly elected body of the European Union and is a direct link to the constituents in the member states. In recognition of the importance of an engaged citizenship in Europe, the European Parliament has gained more power over the years. In 2018, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers also reached an agreement to make it easier for EU citizens to make their own proposals for EU legislation via the EU Citizens’ Initiative. For more information on the Citizens’ Initiative, see: http://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/public/welcome
3. What is the European Parliament and what does it do?The European Parliament is one of the three main decision making institutions that make up the EU alongside the European Commission and the Council of the European Union. The European Parliament has three main roles: European Legislation: The European Parliament works together with the Council as co-legislature and discusses the basis of EU laws and officially adopts them. Institutional Supervision: The European Parliament reviews the work of the Commission and other EU institutions to make sure they work transparent and democratic. Before taking office, the new 2019 Commission will have to be approved by the newly elected Parliament.Budget Supervision: The European Parliament plays an important role in adopting the EU budget and monitors the expenditure of the budget throughout the year. The European Parliament is based in three locations; Luxemburg (Secretariat), Strasbourg (Plenary Sessions) and Brussels (Plenary Sessions & Committee meetings).1
4. European Parliament elections European Parliament elections take place every five years and have done so 1 https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/institutions-bodies/european-parliament_en
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since 1979. In 2019, 705 Members of the European Parliament will be elected. Article 14 of the Treaty of Lisbon is the basis for the elections
“The European Parliament shall be composed of representatives of the Union’s citizens. They shall not exceed seven hundred and fifty in number, plus the President. Representation of citizens shall be degressively proportional, with a minimum threshold of six members per Member State. No Member State shall be allocated more than ninety-six seats”.
The number of Members of the European Parliament is different in each member state. Countries with a larger population get a greater number of seats. In 2019, Germany will be allocated the highest number of seats—96 seats and Malta, Cyprus and Luxemburg will get the lowest number— 6 seats. To find out more about the distribution of seats check this website. Elections to the European Parliament will be held in all member states of the European Union between the 23th and 26th May 2019. Each member state can decide on the type of electoral system and procedures they put in place for the election. All member states must use the proportional representation system which can be either the party list system or the single transferable vote system. Most of the member states of the EU elect their MEPs with a single constituency covering the entire state but some member states divide the country into a number of regions or constituencies. 2
5. European political parties European Political parties are funded by the European Union and are usually made up of national parties and/or individual MEPs. European Parties influence the decision making process of in the European Union by working with the Council and Commission.Since the Lisbon Treaty, the group that wins the elections has the right to nominate its candidate for President of the European Commission to the European Council. The frontrunner candidate of each group is called “Spitzenkandidat.”In many member states, national parties play a significant role in the selection of candidates for the European elections and very often influence the position candidates take on crucial issues. There are currently 10 Political Parties preparing for elections in the European Union:2 http://www.europarl.europa.eu/at-your-service/en/be-heard/elections
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1. European People’s Party (EPP): President: Spitzenkandidat: Manfred Weber, www.epp.eu
2. Party of the European Socialists (PES): Spitzenkandidat: Frans Timmermans, www.pes.eu
3. Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE): ALDE will not present one spitzenkandidat, but a number of candidates who will represent the campaign of the transnational parties across the European Union. For updates on their team of candidates, see https://alde.eu/en/
4. European Green Party: Spitzenkandidaten: Ska Keller and Bas Eickhout, www.europeangreens.eu
5. Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR): Spitzenkandidat: Jan Zahradil, www.aecr.eu
6. Party of the European Left: Spitzenkandidaten: Violeta Tomic and Nico Cue, www.european-left.org
7. Movement for a Europe of Nations and Freedom: Spitzenkandidat: Matteo Salvini has shown interest, www.meldeuropa.com
8. European Free Alliance: Spitzenkandidat: A candidate will be presented on 7 March 2019, http://www.e-f-a.org/home/
9. European Christian Political Movements: European Christian Political Movement is still considering whether or not to nominate a spitzenkandidat, www.ecpm.info
10. European Democratic Party: The European Democratic Party has not yet declared whether they will nominate spitzenkandidaten, http://www.democrats.eu/
“European Spring” and “Volt Europa” also want to present an EU-wide spitzenkandidat for the European election 2019. Both transnational parties are, however, not recognized by the European Union as transnational parties. Once elected, parties and MEPs can also cooperate across parties and organise themselves into political groups.
6. The right to vote Every European citizen over the age of eighteen has the right to vote in European Elections.Article 29 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) guarantees the right to participation in political and public life. It
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outlines that state parties shall:“Ensure that persons with disabilities can effectively and fully participate in political and public life on an equal basis with others, directly or through freely chosen representatives including the right and opportunity for persons with disabilities to vote and be elected, inter alia by:
(i) Ensuring that voting procedures, facilities and materials are appropriate, accessible and easy to understand and use;
(ii) Protecting the rights of persons with disabilities to vote by secret ballot in elections and public referendums without intimidation and to stand for elections, to effectively hold office and perform all public functions at all levels of Government, facilitating the use of assistive and new technologies where appropriate;
(iii) Guaranteeing the free expression of the will of persons with disabilities as electors and to this end, where necessary, at their request, allowing assistance in voting by a person of their own choice”
The European Union, along with all the member states, has ratified the UN CRPD. There is an obligation on all member states who have ratified the UN CRPD to ensure that voting is accessible to all disabled people.For more information, practical tips and good practices around accessible voting you can visit the website of Inclusion Europe .
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7. ENIL Elections Campaign 2019 In the run up to the May 2019 European Elections, ENIL is running a campaign to engage voters and raise awareness among Members of the European Parliament about disability related issues, in particular the right to Independent Living. European Independent Living Day (5 May 2019): The European Independent Living Day will mark the starting point of the ENIL election campaign. The Independent Living Day of 2019 will be centred around the European elections. These are some of the things we have planned:
Tell us what you will be voting for during the European elections in May. Send us your photo with the “This time I’m voting for…” sign. All the photos we receive will be posted on our social media.
ENIL will support the EU wide “This time I am Voting“ campaign by collecting photos from ENIL members holding the “This time I’m voting for …” sign. You can use this template card We suggest you choose the one named "Pledge to vote card" or make your own.
On Monday, 6 May, ENIL will set up an information stand in front of the European Parliament in Brussels to inform MEPs about the Independent Living Day and also get their commitment to vote for Disability Rights.
ENIL Manifesto: It is vital that the candidates are aware of Independent Living and the issues affecting disabled people. Equally, voters need to be aware of the importance of casting a vote. This way we can make sure disability and Independent Living become a topic in these elections and find out what the candidates, in the Member States, intend to do to improve the inclusion of disabled people within society.
To achieve this, we have created our ENIL 2019 Manifesto which outlines what we think needs to happen to improve Independent Living for disabled people in the EU.
If you would like to translate the Manifesto, please contact us. The manifesto is available to download on the ENIL website and in Annex 1 of this Toolkit. European Parliament Election Questionnaire: ENIL has also created a questionnaire which will be sent to all the leaders of the European Parliament Political Groups. These questions, adapted from ENIL’s Demands (see Manifesto), provide European Political Groups, Parties and even individual
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Candidates an opportunity to outline their intentions to support the rights of disabled people.
We encourage all the current and candidate MEPs to reply to the questionnaire and demonstrate their commitment to promoting the rights and demands of disabled people across Europe in the European Parliament.
ENIL will publish all responses to the Questionnaire on our website. This is a great opportunity for (candidate) MEPs to show to you,
potential voters, what a political party/group wants to do to ensure disabled people in Europe can access their rights and live independently. You can use the questionnaire to help you make an informed decision of who to vote for!
ENIL will not endorse specific Parties, Groups or Candidates. If a Political Group is unable to provide a response, then we will state that to our members.
8. People Power—What can you do?There are many ways of raising awareness among the (candidate) Members of Parliament on the obstacles disabled people face in daily life and inform disabled people about their rights as citizens of Europe. Here are a few suggestions about how you can make a difference:A. Join the ENIL 5 May Campaign We will kick start our elections campaign with the European Independent Living Day on 5 May 2019.
Make our voice stronger and tell us which topic will be important for you these European elections. Send us your photo with the “This time I’m voting for…” template card. We suggest you choose the one named "Pledge to vote card" or make your own
We will make a montage of the different photos and present them at our Independent Living day info stand in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on 6 May.
If possible, try and organise a national, regional or local 5 May event where you invite disabled people (and maybe (candidate) MEPs) to come together around the European Elections and Independent Living.
o At the event you can also have (candidate) MEPs and participants
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take a photo with the “This time I am voting for” template cardB. Join the ENIL 2019 Election Campaign 1. Use the ENIL Manifesto to talk to (candidate) Members of the European
Parliament, before deciding who you are going to vote for. The position that they take in relation to the topics outlined in the manifesto will help you decide if this is the candidate you believe will work towards making a difference in the lives of disabled people. You can send the (candidate) MEPs in your country or region a copy of
the Manifesto and ask them to support it.o To find out who is running for the European Parliament in your
country our region, visit the website of the political parties you know and look at the election list for the EU Elections of 2019.
o For example: For the Green Party in Flanders, we see on this website that Petra De Sutter will be first on the voting list and Bart Staes and Sara Matthieu will be second and third. The closer we get to the elections, the more candidates will be announced.
You can ask (candidate) MEPs for a meeting to talk about the Manifesto and Independent Living in more detail.
This way, the Manifesto can raise more awareness on Independent Living among (candidate) Members of the European Parliament. This will help to make disability rights and inclusion a topic in the 2019 elections.
2. You can get inspiration on questions to ask to MEPs from the ENIL Questionnaire (please see Annex 2). You can send the questionnaire to candidate MEPs in your country and
ask them to complete it (you can, of course, adjust the questionnaire and add or remove questions).
You can send the responses from MEPs to ENIL and your CIL or national organisation.
We will publish the responses on the ENIL website. This way, people will be aware of the opinions of the main political parties in relation to disability and Independent Living. Once elected, we can also remind the MEPs of their reply and urge them to act on it.
3. You can also go for the direct approach and just contact your MEPs
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You can send an email or make a phone call to the office of the (candidate) MEPs and talk about the Manifesto and Independent Living.
If possible, try to mobilise a number of people to send emails and make phone calls, or send one email on behalf of your group or organisation outlining your campaign and inviting the MEP to respond with their proposed plans should they become elected.
C. Use social media Follow MEPs through Facebook, Twitter or online blogs and contact them in relation to specific issues.
Try to mobilise as many of your Facebook friends and Twitter followers as possible to do the same.
One good strategy is to choose one day (for example, the 5th May) when you and your network will target as many candidates in one day with the same message; such as, ’ This time I vote for…’.
D. Share information through your network Ensure that your friends and, where applicable, the members of your organisation are well informed about the European Elections and the issues that affect disabled people.
Disseminate information in relation to the elections through your personal network, newsletters or website.
Talk to people about ideas on how to influence (candidate) MEPs and what they should do to earn your vote.
Try to raise more awareness among the general electorate about disability related issues in your local area.
Encourage other disabled people to vote in the European Elections.
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9. Useful tips and links Please remember that you must be registered to vote in the European
Elections - please check that you are registered in your member state. Please remember to bring a valid ID, such as a passport or national
identity card. Contact your local CIL or National Disability Organisation if you require
support to attend the polling station or need information about accessible voting in your member state.
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Annex One: ENIL Manifesto
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ENIL Manifesto for the European Parliament elections in May 2019European Network on Independent Living November 2018
IntroductionThe European Union gives people a right to explore. By travelling, studying, working and living in different countries, individuals can access the benefits of a globalized world within the framework of the European Union (EU). Yet, at the moment, many EU citizens are still unable to fully access the opportunities offered by the EU. Thousands of disabled people still live in institutions, segregated and excluded from the rest of society.3 Disabled people are more likely to live in poverty and less likely to be employed in the open labour market. Disabled people also have fewer opportunities to access inclusive mainstream education.4 This goes against European values and undermines the right to Independent Living.The year 2019 will be full of opportunities for the European Union. The proclamation of the European Pillar of Social Rights (Social Pillar) on 17 November 2017 and the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) by the EU and all its Member States have provided the EU with great tools to go beyond economic recovery, austerity and cuts. It is time to give the EU a human face again. European citizens want to live a full and independent life, whatever their background or differences may be. With this manifesto, ENIL would like to highlight some crucial points where the European Parliament can exercise its role as a leader on human rights and social inclusion to put people back at the forefront of EU policy.
3 See FRA country studies on the right to independent living of persons with disabilities, at http://fra.europa.eu/en/project/2014/rights-persons-disabilities-right-independent-living/country-data 4 See the Eurostat data on this topic, at http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Disability_statistics
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4 Key Demands:
1. Freedom of movement for allFreedom of movement of goods, people, services and capital is a basic EU principle enshrined in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).5 The freedom to travel around the EU is an opportunity for people to feel European. Seeing and experiencing different cultures and ways of life fosters a diverse and inclusive society.Today, businesses in the EU already make use of the possibilities offered by the right to free movement. Private citizens, on the other hand, often cannot fully enjoy their right to live, work or study in another EU Member State. The reason for this is simple: there is no European social framework to support the right to free movement. Principles 12, 14 and 20 of the Social Pillar state that everyone has a right to, respectively, social protection, an adequate income and access to essential services, including transport.6 Yet, in practice, many European citizens cannot access these rights while traveling or living in another Member State. This prevents people from discovering the possibilities of European Citizenship and perusing opportunities to work or study across the EU. This is especially true for disabled EU citizens. 7
Article 153, paragraph 4 of the Treaty limits EU’s competence in the social field. Paragraph 2 of the same article, however, allows the Parliament and Council to promote good practices to enhance social inclusion and remove administrative barriers.8
5 Art 45-66 TFEU6 See the Social Pillar principles, at https://ec.europa.eu/commission/priorities/deeper-and-fairer-economic-and-monetary-union/european-pillar-social-rights/european-pillar-social-rights-20-principles_en 7 See the Report of the European Day Of Persons With Disabilities 2015, at http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=15129&langId=en and the 2016 Report on intra- EU Labour Mobility, at http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=17165&langId=en 8 See Art.153 TFEU, at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12008E153
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To ensure that all disabled people in the EU have the right to freedom of movement, ENIL calls on the future Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to:
Use the General Comments of the CRPD Committee and the experience of the Independent Living movement to adopt clear European definitions of key Independent Living concepts. This will facilitate a common understanding of and recognition of disability (rights) and Independent Living across Europe.
Work with the Member States toward a revision of article 153 of the TFEU to give the EU the tools to contribute to a progressive, effective and consistent social policy.
Improve the coordination of support services between countries and set up contact points in all Member States to inform (disabled) EU citizens about social rights and support services across Europe.
Ensure that mainstream accessible public transport becomes an enforceable right for all EU citizens.9
Make sure that European transnational programs like Erasmus+ and the Solidarity Corps are fully accessible and inclusive to all EU citizens, whatever their support needs are.
With regard to specific policy actions, ENIL calls on the MEPs to:
Expand the pilot project of the EU Disability Card beyond culture and sport.
Build on the Commission Proposal for a Council Recommendation on access to social protection, to expand its scope and enable all EU citizens to access (social) support services across the EU. This is in line with a recommendation of the UN CRPD Committee.10
Use the European Accessibility Act (EAA) as a basis to adopt a strong European framework for an accessible and inclusive (built) environment with fully accessible services, including transport, communication and financial services.
9 One of the initiatives in this area that could be expanded is Eurokey . 10 See §48-49 of the UN CRDP Concluding observations on the initial report of the European Union, at https://daccess-ods.un.org/TMP/6056394.57702637.html
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2. End institutional care. Go towards community-based support services and Personal Assistance.
Access to social support and mainstream services (see Demand 1), are only one aspect of moving towards a more social Europe. Accessibility of services should be accompanied by a shift away from the traditional model of care based on institutional and residential care, towards a human rights and Independent Living based system. This means that Community-Based Services (CBS) and access to Personal Assistance (PA) must be made available across the EU.11
Being able to live your life according to your own choices is essential for participation and social inclusion. Therefore, all disabled people should be in control of the support they receive. Giving people the opportunity to tailor the support they receive to their needs gives them independence and the autonomy necessary to actively participate in all aspects of society.In line with Article 19 of the UN CRPD (the right to live independently and be included in the community), the EU should facilitate the shift towards a system of support that enables and empowers people to take control over their life and to live it according to their own choices and requirements.12
Personal Assistance, paid for by direct payments/personal budgets controlled by the person is a perfect tool to give people control over their own life. This is in line with both the UN CRPD and Article 26 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Additionally, Personal Assistance makes economic sense, because it allows people to get exactly the right support for their needs. This reduces costs and reliance on other services, such as health care.The 2014 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) has played a vital role in putting deinstitutionalisation and the transition to Community-Based Services (CBS) and access to Personal Assistance (PA) on the agenda. However, despite good intentions, EU Funds have not been used in compliance with Article 19 of the UN CRPD. Many disabled people in the EU 11 For more information on the concepts of CBS and PA, see http://enil.eu/independent-living/definitions/ 12 For more information on Article 19 of the UN CRPD, see General Comment No 5 by the CRPD Committee https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CRPD/C/GC/5&Lang=en
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are being moved from large into small institutions, without adequate support to live independently or without being involved in decisions concerning their lives.13
With this in mind, ENIL calls on the future MEPs to: Ensure that not a single European citizen is forced into residential or
institutional care because of the lack of Community-based Services (CBS).
Adopt a strong position to make clear that the general availability of (mainstream) CBS is essential for deinstitutionalisation. This goes far beyond the closure institutions.
Use the European and Structural Investment Funds (ESIF) for genuine deinstitutionalisation and independent living, as set out in the General Comment No. 5 of the CRPD Committee.
Monitor the use of funds to ensure that no public or private funds in the EU are spent on building, maintaining and/or renovating institutions of any type.
Take a leading role in the process, by promoting the transition to CBS and Personal Assistance (PA) in all EU policy tools and initiatives.
With regard to specific policy actions, ENIL calls on the MEPs to:
Use the European Semester to monitor and ensure that austerity does not damage social protection.
Include the availability and quality of CBS and PA as an indicator in the EU Social Scoreboard.
Ensure that the Commission proposal on Transparent and predictable working conditions and Working Time Directive recognise the importance of the transition towards CBS and PA. This includes working with Member States to make sure that the national social security systems provide sufficient funding to allow PA users to comply with EU regulations.
13 See the 2018 ENIL Briefing on the Use of EU Funds for Independent Living, at http://enil.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/EU-Funds-Briefing_web0903.pdf
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3. Involve European Citizens to improve the transparency and effectiveness of EU Funds. The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds) are one of the most important tools the EU has to reduce inequality between regions and to promote social inclusion. Yet, many European citizens are not aware of the existence or possibilities of these Funds. This makes it more likely they will be misused, by supporting projects that go against common European values.Fully involving (disabled) Europeans in the funding process - from programming, through implementation, to monitoring will improve the effectiveness, transparency and legitimacy of the EUFull involvement should go beyond consultation. European citizens, including disabled people, should get an equal seat at the table. This includes physical access, but also getting the support and time you need to acquire the knowledge necessary to participate on an equal basis with policy makers or social partners. People who contribute to the discussion should also receive (financial) compensation for their time. This will ensure that decisions about European funding are co-produced by policy makers, civil society and EU citizens. This will greatly improve the transparency and legitimacy of EU projects. 14
In order to ensure that EU funds are used efficiently, ENIL calls on the future MEPs to:
Make sure that the support services funded by ESI Funds start from the needs of individuals, not the interests of service providers or the authorities.
Improve the monitoring and complaints systems for ESI Funds, to prevent misuse.
With regard to specific policy actions, ENIL calls on the MEPs to:
Ensure that the European Code of Conduct on Partnership is fully implemented. This should include using co-production to fully involve (disabled) citizens in the set-up, monitoring and evaluation of projects.
14 For more information on co-production see: ‘Co-production – enhancing the role of citizens in governance and service delivery’
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4. Mainstream disability across all policy areas As outlined above, inclusion is not only about access to social services; it concerns all areas of life. It includes access to health care, education and employment, public transport, housing, culture, sports and leisure, and other areas.Inclusion also goes beyond disability and is not limited to any particular target group. All children need support to fully participate in school. All employees need breaks during the day and flexible working arrangements from time to time.With this in mind, ENIL calls on the future MEPs to:
Make sure that the universal nature of inclusion is recognised and mainstreamed across all policy fields.
Connect policy areas to make sure that challenges like the transition from residential and institutional care to Community-Based Services are backed up by decisions across policy fields.
Respect the UN CRPD in all external actions of the European Union. This includes promoting the transition to Community Based Support in all partner countries, including by only funding projects fully in line with the UN CRPD.
With regard to specific policy actions, ENIL calls on the MEPs to:
Adopt a strong European Disability Strategy 2020-2030, guided by the UN CRPD.
Launch the first EU-wide awareness-raising campaign to highlight the importance of mainstreaming disability across all policy areas.
Implement in full the recommendations of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities from 2015.
Move the units for disability rights and social inclusion from DG Employment to DG Justice. Inclusion is not about being in employment, it is about respect for human rights.
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Annex Two: ENIL Questionnaire for candidate MEPs
Name of the candidate:Country:Political Group:Political Party:
Questions and AnswersS1 Freedom of movement of goods, people, services and capital is a
basic EU principle. Today, businesses in the EU already make use of the possibilities offered by the right to free movement. Disabled citizens, on the other hand, often cannot fully enjoy their right to live, work or study in another EU Member State. The reason for this is simple: there is no European social framework to support the right to free movement.
Q1
What will you do to ensure that disabled EU citizens can fully enjoy their right to free movement and have access to support services across member states?
Would you support extending the pilot project of the EU Disability Card beyond culture and sport and work towards a European wide recognition of disability status?
A1
S2 European exchange projects like Erasmus, European Solidarity Corps or Discover Europe offer great opportunities to explore the EU and see cultural diversity in action. However, disabled Europeans face numerous obstacles (related to accessibility, access to services and other kinds of discrimination) to participate in these programmes.
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Q2 As an MEP, what action will you take to make sure that European transnational programs like Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps are fully accessible and inclusive of all EU citizens?
A2
S3 Too often, terminology of the Independent Living Movement such as ‘Deinstitutionalisation’, Personal Assistance and ‘Community-Based Support’ is misunderstood or even hijacked by other actors.
Q3
What will you do to ensure that disability rights terminology, as defined by disabled people in the Independent Living Movement, the UN CRPD and the related General Comments, becomes embedded in EU policies?
Would you support EU-wide definition of Independent Living?
A3
S4 Article 19 (Independent Living) of the UN CRPD outlines the right to Independent Living, including the right to choose where and with who to live. Sadly, many disabled people in Europe still live in institutions and attend special schools, without access to inclusive mainstream services or Personal Assistance.
Q4
How will you ensure that disabled people can realize their right to live independently and to be integral members of their community?
What is your view on the role of European Union funds as a tool to support the process of deinstitutionalisation and access to Independent Living?
What will you do to ensure that Structural Funds are not –directly or indirectly – invested into schemes/services which continue to isolate and segregate disabled people from society and mainstream services?
How will you make sure that the support services funded by Structural Funds start from the needs of individuals, not the interests of service providers or the authorities?
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How will you improve the monitoring and complaints systems for Structural Funds, to prevent their misuse?
In your opinion, what are the barriers preventing disabled people from accessing inclusive mainstream services (such as transport, inclusive education and employment or housing)?
How will you ensure disabled people have continual access to mainstream services instead of being forced into using segregated services?
A4
S5 Since 2008, we see the devastating impact of austerity measures on support services and Personal Assistance across Europe. This includes cuts the Personal Assistance programmes and the closing of grassroots disability rights organisations.
Q5
In your view, what is the impact of austerity measures on the support services for disabled people?
How will you support Centres for Independent Living (CILs) and Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs, i.e. organisations run by disabled people for disabled people) to defend the rights of disabled people and contribute to the strengthening of a civil society movement around disability rights?
What is your opinion on the use Structural Funds to support Personal Assistance schemes in (pilot) projects managed by CILs and DPOs?
How will you ensure CILs and DPOs have a realistic chance of securing the funding for such projects?
A5
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S6 Disabled people face discrimination and segregation in many areas of life. To remedy this, we need to foster inclusion in all areas of life. This includes, but is not limited to, personal assistance, access to health care, inclusive education and employment, public transport, housing, culture, sports and leisure activities.
Q6
What are your thoughts on the current level of discrimination, segregation and even hate crime that disabled people are subjected to today?
How can protection of disabled people be strengthened at the European level, in order to eliminate their exclusion and discrimination?
Would you support a strong European Disability Strategy 2020-2030 which is guided by the principals of the UN CRPD?
What is your opinion on having a specific committee on disability rights in the next European Parliament, backed by a dedicated unit for Disability Rights within DG Justice in the next European Commission?
When elected would you take action to re-establish the Disability Intergroup for the term 2010-2024?
A6
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About ENILThe European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) is a Europe-wide grass-roots network of disabled people, with members throughout Europe. Our mission is to be a strong voice of disabled people and advocate for everyone’s right to Independent Living.Independent Living means that (disabled) people should have the same level of choice, control and freedom, no matter what their support needs are. This does not mean that people need to do everything by themselves. All (disabled) people depend on and interact with other people in day-to-day life. It does mean that all people should have the right to choose how, where and with whom to live. Any support a disabled person receives to realize this right should be controlled by the person and respect their individual choice and needs.
Contact information
Frank SioenENIL Advocacy [email protected]
www.enil.eu
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