RESOLUTION on the European Commission S Focal Point for the Implementation of the UN Convention

RESOLUTION on the European Commission’s focal point for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The delegates of European Disability Forum (EDF), the voice of 80 million persons with disabilities in Europe, during its General Assembly, taking place in Warsaw on 30 and 31 May 2015, approved the following resolution:

The UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities(article 33,1)calls on State Parties to designate one or more focal points within their government for the implementation of the Convention, and to establish a coordination mechanism to facilitate action in different sectors and at different levels.

The European Commission’s President, Mr Juncker stated in beginning of hismandatein 2014 that inequality has no place in today’s European Union.

The European Commission had the foresight to establish the focal point on the implementation of the Conventionunder the Directorate General for Justice. This signified the commitment of the European Union to address the rights of persons with disabilities as a human rights issue and to ensure adequate political attention through bringing the focal point under the direct responsibility of Vice-President Reding.

EDF recognises the importance of the rights of persons with disabilities in the work of DG Employment, Social Affairs andInclusion. However, the European Commission took a step backwards by moving the focal pointfrom DG Justice to DG Employment. This move gives the signal that the rights of persons with disabilities are considered by the EU as an employment issue alone. In this regressive move, the Commission made a separation within its own structures, where the various grounds of discrimination, protected under the European Treaties, are handled. The rights of women, racial, ethnic and religious minorities, older people and LGTBI are all handled by DG Justice whereas persons with disabilities are under DG Employment.This separation will lead to inconsistent approaches to the tackling of discrimination under the various grounds and less strategic attention to Fundamental Rights in Europe.

EDF calls for the establishment of a Directorate under the Commission’s Secretariat-Generalresponsible for implementation of theUN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This Directorate should have a horizontal and coordinating mandate to ensure effective implementation of CRPD at all levels of the European Commissionand to mainstream the rights of persons with disabilities in the preparation of policies and legislation and promote awareness about the CRPD internally. This focal point should be accompanied by focal points in every relevant DG of the European Commission, and in every EU institution.

During a transition period, the focal point for the CRPD should be re-established under DG Justice, as the service responsible for the promotion and protection of fundamental rights of all Europeans.

This resolution is sent to European Commission’s President, Mr Juncker and is disseminated to the relevant public authorities, at EU, national and local level.