European Union of the Deaf
Galerie de la Toison D'Or / Galerij van het Gulden Vlies
29 Chaussée d'Ixelles / Elsense Steenweg #393/32
B - 1050 Brussels - BELGIUM

Tel: + 32 2 289 7036
Fax: +32 2 289 7037
E-mail: info@eudnet.org
Websites: www.eudnet.org and www.eudeaf2003.org
Volume 11
Number 5/6
January/February 2008

Cross Linguistic Sign language research-3 conference (CLSLR-3)

Sign linguists from around the world offered an extraordinary glimpse into the world’s rarest and most endangered sign languages and Deaf communities at a conference in February at the University of Central Lancashire in Preston, UK. Eighty researchers from 25 countries, most of them Deaf, met at the International Centre for Sign Languages and Deaf Studies (iSLanDS) to see presentations on minority sign languages and discuss the development of research ethics in sign language studies.

Keynote speaker Mark WHEATLEY

Keynote speaker Mark WHEATLEY, the Executive Director of the European Union of the Deaf, said: “Now more than ever, it is crucial that both majority and minority sign languages are documented and officially recognised, and sign language research is fundamental in achieving these goals.”

Some of the sign languages represented at the conference are used in villages with hereditary deafness where nearly all villagers, deaf and hearing, use sign language, and many of these are in danger of dying out. Among others, presenters discussed Country Sign from Jamaica, Al-Sayyid Bedouin Sign Language from Israel, Yucatec Maya Sign Language from Mexico, Ban Khor Sign Language from Thailand, Kata Kolok from Indonesia, and the female variant of Irish Sign Language.

Cross Linguistic Sign language research-3 conference

Professor Ulrike ZESHAN, director of the iSLanDS Centre, summarised the aim of the conference: “Our intent is to combine high quality research with an ethically responsible approach to its application in close collaboration with deaf communities. This is the basic philosophy of our Centre”

Total Conversation and e-Accessible Emergency Services

Mark WHEATLEY attended the ICT for Inclusion unit of the European Commission information meeting on "Total Conversation" and on "E-Accessible Emergency Services" on 30th January 2008. This meeting was relevant for representatives of ICT industry, Emergency Services authorities/organisations, leading stakeholders in accessible multimedia communications solutions, user representatives, as well as any other organisations interested in increasing accessibility in electronic communications and emergency services.

The delegates at the meeting discussed issues to be solved when real-time multimedia inclusive technology meets electronic communications (Total Conversation) and Emergency Services to offer an accessible user experience ( e.g. "112 accessible for all") .

Issues included:

• Delivery of accessibility by a multimedia service like Total Conversation
• Technical, organisational and regulatory issues
• Criteria for technology and solutions to realise Total Conversation and accessible Emergency Services for all groups of users
• State of play in Europe and internationally
• Opportunities for total conversation / emergency services deployment pilots validating innovation, interoperability, cost-effectiveness, and user acceptance

This meeting was in the context of the actions of the European e-Inclusion Initiative, namely: the call by the Commission to ICT industry to rapidly commit to putting in place, in the 2008-2010 timeframe, privacy-friendly solutions for persons with sensory, physical, motor and/ or cognitive restrictions to make use of electronic communications ('total conversation') notably to safeguard access to emergency services and interoperability (in line with the proposed revision of the e-Communications Directives), building on their current cooperation with users, and the intention of the Commission to co-finance in the 2008 ICT-PSP programme a pilot on 'total conversation'.

Disability Intergroup meeting addressed revision EU electronic communications regulatory framework

The Disability Intergroup meeting, which took place in Strasbourg on 20 February, was dedicated to the ongoing revision of the regulatory framework for electronic communications.

There was a first in the European Parliament, when Mark WHEATLEY gave an address in British Sign Language (BSL) to the MEPs, attending the Disability Intergroup meeting, using BSL interpreters via a live video link-up provided by an award-winning UK based Sign Language Interpreting Service via Video conferencing service – SignVideo.

In his presentation, Mark WHEATLEY of the European Union of the Deaf focused on a number of important points, such as:

• bridging the gap between terminals and networks (Article 1.1 of the Framework Directive)
• the obligation to take ‘accessibility’ measures (Article 7 of the Universal Service Directive)
• strengthening the obligation to provide accessible emergency services (Article 26.4 of the Universal Service Directive)
• providing sufficient, adequate and accessible information about the quality of service (Article 22.1, 22.3 of the Universal Service Directive)
• creating a Community mechanism to identify and address gaps in eAccessibility (Article 33.3-4 of the Universal Service Directive)

Catherine TRAUTMANN MEP (PSE, France), ITRE Rapporteur on the Framework Directive noted the TV without Frontiers Directive as a successful precedent of including disability-related provisions in the Internal market legislation. She stressed that it is important to ensure that the national regulatory authorities are empowered with the means and resources to implement the accessibility provisions of the European legislation, whereby accessibility of 112 number must be made a priority for Member States.

Mme TRAUTMANN made a suggestion that ALL Framework Directive articles are screened against their accessibility to persons with disabilities, in accordance with the disability mainstreaming principle. It is not enough to focus on a handful of provisions where disability is explicitly mentioned. End-to-end connectivity for end users is more than just accessible technologies – it also entails useable and affordable services of high quality, whereby quality standards could be imposed by national regulators.

Reino PAASILINNA MEP (PSE, Finland), ITRE opinion Rapporteur on the Universal Service (Users’ Rights) Directive emphasized that the objective of the current review is to modernize, not radically change the legislative package. EU telecom package can already be considered as an example of successful legislation that works in practice, and the review is aimed at improving it even further. Mr PAASILINNA stressed that although flexible and affordable technology for making these changes is already there, the market is clearly not delivering to people with disabilities. It is therefore time to secure delivery of accessible service through the use of legislation.

Malcolm HARBOUR ( PPE, UK), IMCO Rapporteur on the Universal Service (Users’ Rights) Directive noted that that although the original Commission proposal in 2000 was a rather ambitious one (and was backed up by the European Parliament that traditionally has a strong pro-eAccessibility platform of MEPs), a lot has been lost in the negotiations with the Council. Mr HARBOUR suspects that this time the situation will be similar, and lobbying of Member States is the most crucial step order to achieve sound results.

Mr HARBOUR said that one of the desired outcomes of the review would be standardisation of ICT services in Europe, which would help accessibility a lot by motivating the business community to produce accessible products and services for all, thus enlarging their consumer market.

The speakers agreed that bridging the gap between services and terminals is going to be one of the most important and contentious points of the current review. The active involvement of all stakeholders, in particular, of the disabled users, is going to be indispensable to implement the relevant provisions of the Framework Directive Article 1.1 in practice.

Full report of the meeting can be obtained from the Disability Intergroup Secretariat at janina.arsenjeva@edf-feph.org, tel. +32 2 282 4602

UN CONVENTION – Seven EU countries approached for survey on ratification process

The Centre for Human Rights of Persons with Disabilities (VIKE) is conducting a survey on the processes of ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in seven European states. The chosen states are Finland, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

The main focus of this survey is to analyse both the official information of the governments and the feedback of NGOs and human rights institutions. The views of the civil society are an important source for finding information on the weaknesses and development of the ratification process.

The report on the CRPD Survey will be published in English as a comparative analysis at a seminar in Helsinki on 20-21 May 2008. The speakers of the seminar are human rights specialists from Finland and abroad. The programme of the seminar will be released on the VIKE`s website. The survey is carried out within a project entitled "CRPD Survey". The project is financed by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Finland.

Visit VIKE website for more information - www.vike.fi

AIR PASSENGERS’ RIGHTS - European conferences on the implementation of regulation 1107/2006 on disabled air passengers' rights (Brussels, 24-25 January 2008)

On the 24th of January, the Airports Council International Europe (ACI) organised a conference directed to their members on the implementation of the regulation on the rights and obligations of persons with disabilities travelling by air.

EDF Policy Officer Maria Nyman was invited to this conference to make a presentation focusing on the need for cooperation with representative disability organisations when establishing the training programmes for their staff on disability awareness training. EDF was also reminding the airports on the need for entering into cooperation with the disability movement as soon as possible, as the regulation requires cooperation with DPOs when the airports are elaborating the standards for the quality of the assistance to their disabled passengers and when designating the set down points of arrival at the airports.

The day after, on the 25th of January, the European Commission was organising a conference on "the correct implementation of regulation 1107/2006", attended by over 20 EDF members and a high number of representatives from as well the airlines, the airports, the tour operators and the national enforcement bodies for the regulation. The conference allowed for very useful discussions on the current situation regarding the implementation throughout the EU and how to move ahead. It was also the opportunity for the different stakeholders to get to know each others in order to enter into collaboration at national and local level.

One of the main needs that were identified at this conference was the need for empowering the disability movement to enable it to take on its role under the regulation and to enter into effective and fruitful cooperation with airports, airlines and enforcement bodies.

A new persons with reduced mobility notification tool has also been elaborated by airlines and airports, which will become a IATA recommended practice. This will allow for a more efficient communication chain ensuring that the assistance providers will be properly informed about the needs of disabled travellers.

On the suggestion of EDF, the European Commission promised by the end of the meeting to organise a "train the trainers" workshop within a couple of months, where key persons from the disability movement at national level would be invited to attend such an "empowerment training workshop" in order to be better prepared to train the disability activists at local and regional level to enter into effective cooperation with their respective airports. The date for the workshop is not yet fixed, but EDF will take an active role in preparing it together with the Commission and will inform its membership about the date and practical details as soon as possible.

For more information, please contact Policy Officer Maria Nyman, maria.nyman@edf-feph.org

EDF participation on European Commission eInclusion information and consultation meeting (Brussels, 20 January 2008)

On 20 January, the European Commission eInclusion Unit held an information and consultation meeting to give an overview of the European eInclusion initiative and present the ongoing impact assessment of the proposed future action to tackle to existing challenges in accessibility of total conversation and emergency services.

Paul Timmers of the eInclusion Unit presented the Commission proposal for the revision of the regulatory framework for electronic communications, adopted on 13 November 2007. The Commission proposed to oblige Member States to take measure to ensure accessibility and affordability of telephone services (including emergency services) to disabled people.

He further presented the possible pilot project under the Competitiveness and Innovation Programme on emergency services accessible to all. The objective of such a project would be implementation of a pilot service focusing on the validation of total conversation access to emergency services (accessible 112 number), encouraging replication, ensuring interoperability, assessing cost-effectiveness and user acceptance. The project would hopefully result in full total conversation interoperability based on one set of standards. The call for proposals would be adopted in March 2008, and the possible pilot would include a minimum of four emergency service providers from four countries.

The second part of the meeting featured presentations from Omnitor, Vodafone, Centre for Deaf Studies ( University of Bristol) and others.

The key discussion points focused around technical, organisation and regulatory issues of accessibility, viability of the proposed pilot project and stakeholders’ views on possible solutions.

The official report and the presentations from the meeting will be published by the European Commission on

http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/einclusion/index_en.htm in due time.

EDF response to European Commission’s communication “Opportunities, access and solidarity: towards a new social vision for 21st century Europe”

After consultation with EDF members, EDF secretariat has responded to the European Commission’s consultation on “Opportunities, access and solidarity: towards a new social vision for 21st century Europe”.

EDF has sent its contribution to the European Commission services on 15th February 2008. The response analyses the (1) main social changes for people with disabilities, the problems still existing and the challenges; (2) the situation of disabled people in employment; (3) the challenges of the European Union to tackle the impairments created by the new social trends; (4) disabled people and the digital gap and finally; (5) the assessment of the disability movement about opportunities, access and solidarity.

Regarding the last aspect, these are the main conclusions of the document:

Opportunities: It is important that European strategies focus on the equalization of rights of people with disabilities that are far from real for them. The UN convention will provide a legal framework, non discrimination, social services and community living, creating strategies, developing policies, ensuring positive action, etc.

Access: It is formally advancing but systematic strategies to change the society are still needed. Implementation of existing laws, adoption of new laws where gaps exists, full integration of the human rights approach and comprehensive access action plans with budget allocations, deadlines and concrete steps, raising public awareness are all needed.

Solidarity: It is a key element that must ensure full inclusion of people with disabilities through a full participation in all areas of life. Supported by community services and support to extra-costs of disability to prevent social exclusion, isolation and poverty.

EDF President and EDF Director represented the European Disability Forum at the last meeting of the International Disability Alliance that was held in New York on 9-11 February in New York

EDF participated for the first time as full member to the meeting, together with the Arab Organisation of Disabled People, being the first ‘regional organizations” to join IDA.

The International Disability Alliance is currently composed of 10 members among which eight international organizations: Disabled Peoples' International, Inclusion International, International Federation of Hard of Hearing People, Rehabilitation International, World Blind Union, World Federation of the Deaf, World Federation of the DeafBlind, World Network of Users and Survivors of Psychiatry. The meetings are attended by leaders of the above mentioned organizations.

Among the key decisions taken by IDA, there was:

• the adoption of revised terms of reference for IDA, which include criteria for membership of international and regional organizations, and set a new phase for IDA to gradually expand its alliance to represent major organizations of disabled people at world level;
• the finalisation of a proposal for the establishment of the ‘IDA CRPD Forum’ a think tank of disability organizations (DPOs and allies) to work for the ratification and implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (CRDP). Such a structure under the leadership of IDA would replace the current International Disability Caucus that has coordinated NGOs input into the negotiations for the Convention. A first meeting was the establishment of the Forum to which also RIADIS, the Latin American organization of disabled people, Handicap International, Landmines Survivors Network, and the African Decade Secretariat also participated. The IDA CRPD Forum will have a steering committee which will include IDA members, other regional organizations and non Disabled People Organisations, and that will meet at least once a year, and a subcommittee. The Forum will meet mainly through e-mail groups, but meetings may be organized at specific occasions, such as the conference of State parties. Once the structure of IDA CRPD Forum will be finalized, before the summer, invitations will be sent for participation.
• The adoption of a common statement on the future of the Special Rapporteur on Disability calling for an extension of the mandate for 3 more years focusing on the promotion of the UN Convention. The statement also highlights the need to consider the UN Convention as the superseding human rights instrument on disability, and the need to revise preceding UN documents and guidelines such as the Standard rules on the Equalisation of opportunities for people with disabilities in the light of such instruments. IDA also called for the next Special Rapporteur to be a disabled person and for Disabled People Organisations to be consulted in its appointment.

A number of side meetings were also organized in the framework of the IDA meeting, such as meetings with the Secretariat for the UN Convention, which announced the creation of an interagency board on disability, and discussions were held on the upcoming entry into force of the Convention, and the Conference of State Parties, the United Nations Development Fund and UNICEF, who are now engaged in mainstreaming disability in their work.

EDF also attended the Commission on Social Development, where the Special Rapporteur on Disability presented her report on the implementation of the Standard Rules and discussions were held on a resolution on Mainstreaming Disability. Both documents are annexed to this weekly mailing.

The Commission for Social Development also agreed on a resolution to be submitted to the Economic and Social Council on ‘Further promotion of the equalization of opportunities by, for and with persons with disabilities, and protection of their human rights’, which proposes an extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur until 31 December 2011 and for a further focus on human rights and on the Convention on the human rights of persons with disabilities in addition to the Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for people with disabilities, promote international cooperation and capacity building of member States, cooperate with organizations of persons with disabilities. Finally concerns are raised as to the insufficiencies of resources for the Special Rapporteur, as currently its work is funded through a voluntary fund for member States.

EDF participated in CEN/AFNOR workshop on the need for standardisation in the area of accessible tourism services (Brussels, 13 February 2008)

On the 13th of February a workshop was held in Brussels, organised by CEN (the European Standardisation Body) and AFNOR (the French Standardisation Body) on the topic ‘Accessibility to Tourism Services’. This workshop was the occasion for presenting the results of the investigation that AFNOR has undertaken during 2007 on behalf of CEN on the needs for standardisation in the area of accessibility to tourism services. It was also a good opportunity for all stakeholders to meet and to share their ideas and concerns.

On behalf of EDF, Policy Officer Maria Nyman made a presentation, highlighting in particular the need for standards on the use of accessibility symbols by tourism providers and the need for independent assessment by accessibility experts on the use of these symbols, and the need for training of all personnel working in the tourism sector on disability awareness and disability equality. Standards might be the only way for progressing in this area as the EU has very limited legislative competence in the area of tourism.

It was underlined by the ANEC representative Ms Nina Klemola that it is important to have a very clear scope when discussion standards in this area, as services are intangible. ANEC underlined also the need for a more systematic use of the CEN/CENELEC Guide 6 (guidelines on how to ensure design for all in standards-writing) whenever elaborating new standards.

Most participants agreed on the utility of standardisation on the use of accessibility symbols and standards on disability-awareness training as proposed by EDF, as accurate information about the accessibility at the tourism destination, and welcoming of tourists with disabilities, is of crucial importance. It was however reiterated at several occasion during the workshop that the same level of service and training could not be expected from very small business as from the larger hotel chains and tourism businesses.

AFNOR will now prepare their final report to the Commission where their conclusions for the need of standardisation on accessible tourism services will be included. EDF will prepare a response to this final report which should be ready before April 2008.

For more information, please contact Policy Officer Maria Nyman, maria.nyman@edf-feph.org

Slovenian Presidency to obtain EU’s commitment to fight disability discrimination

On 28 February, Carlotta Besozzi, EDF Director, and EDF Board member and Chair of NSIOS Boris Šustaršic met with Marjeta Cotman, Slovenian Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs during a visit to Slovenia.

“Preventing discrimination against persons with disabilities is a priority for the Slovenian Presidency”, said Marjeta Cotman, Slovenian Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. “We are committed to support Human Rights of disabled people both at national and European level and we do hope to have EU’s formal engagement to propose measures to fight disability discrimination within this Presidency”, said the Minister.

During the encounter, the Minister informed the Director of the European Disability Forum, and the President of the Slovenian federation of disabled people, NSIOS, and Board member of the EDF, Boris Šustaršic, about the current process of ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which was signed by the European Communities on 30 March 2007.

“We are very satisfied with the engagement of the Slovenian Presidency” said Carlotta Besozzi. “On 21 February, the Slovenian Government proposed to the National Assembly the ratification of the UN Convention and its additional protocol and Minister Cotman is very confident that the process will be achieved very rapidly”, reported EDF Director at the end of the meeting.

Slovenia will be among the first EU Member States to ratify this important international Treaty and its optional protocol, which allows individual and collective complains if the Convention is not respected, once national recourse procedures have been exhausted. In a Council Resolution that will be adopted on 29 February by the Member States in Brussels “on the situation of persons with disabilities in the EU”, the Slovenian Presidency, behind the drafting of this text, invites the Member States to ratify and conclude the Convention, “and to share solutions and a coordinated approach for its implementation”.

During the meeting, the disability movement representatives officially presented to the Minister the proposal for a European disability-specific Directive, protecting disabled people from discrimination in all fields of life, in line with the UN Convention. The proposal, which has been supported by 1.294.997 EU citizens through the “1million4disability campaign, and only in Slovenia by 59.870 people”, was welcomed by the Slovenian Minister, who committed to support new legislation to fight discrimination in Europe. In the Council resolution to be adopted tomorrow, the Slovenian Presidency explicitly invites the Commission and the Member States to “examine any gaps that may exist in the current Community legislative framework of protection against discrimination, in particular on the grounds of disability, and to consider appropriate and targeted responses”. In view of the inclusion of disabled people in society, the Council Resolution also stresses the need to “further develop a comprehensive policy mix of all appropriate instruments, based on the human rights approach and the mainstreaming of disability”.

The Slovenian Government press release on today’s meeting can be downloaded from: http://www.mddsz.gov.si/si/splosno/novice/novica/article/1939/5704/?cHash=93

The text of the Convention and the Protocol can be downloaded from: http://www.un.org/disabilities/convention/facts.shtml

The list of signatory states to the convention is available at: http://www.un.org/disabilities/countries.asp?navid=17&pid=166

Social Affairs Minister Marjeta Cotman: "Europe which invests in people operates for the future"

Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs Marjeta Cotman presented the priority assignments of the Slovenian Presidency in the field of employment and social affairs to the Employment and Social Affairs Committee of the European Parliament.

The motto of the Slovenian Presidency in the field of employment and social affairs is " Europe which invests in people operates for the future". The Minister emphasised among others the wish of the Presidency to contribute to the fight against poverty and social exclusion as well as to improve the employment and social integration opportunities for persons with disabilities, and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.

In order to achieve these goals, the Minister said that Europe needed legal tools, legal working standards, effective systems of social protection, productive social dialogue, and dialogue with civil society.

In the field of employment and social affairs, the Slovenian Presidency will be based on four main objectives:

• the Lisbon Strategy – labour market and employment,
• continuation of the European discussion on demographic challenges,
• the fight against poverty and social exclusion,
• the provision of equal opportunity and prevention of discrimination against persons with disabilities.

Within the latter objective addressing non discrimination of disabled persons, the Minister emphasized the special attention which will be devoted to timely ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Optional Protocol.

In the context of the first objective, which refers to the labour market and employment, primary attention will be devoted to the Lisbon Strategy. One of the most important challenges will be the preparation of guidelines for employment, where demographic challenges and principles of flexicurity, as well as the strengthened identification of social dimensions will be considered. The Minister emphasised that special attention will be devoted to youth and their position in the society and the labour market.

The second objective of the Presidency will be devoted to continuation of the European discussion on demographic challenges, especially the new balance between generations, and strengthening solidarity between generations. A special case in this field is the provision of the quality and accessibility of long-term care.

In the context of the third objective, devoted to the area of social affairs, the Slovenian Presidency will address the fight against poverty, in particular the poverty of children and young people.

Informal Employment and Social Affairs Council considered flexibility and security as fundamental throughout a person’s lifetime

At their informal meeting, the Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs, within the framework of the concept of flexicurity, devoted special attention to the young and the elderly and to the challenges faced by women in the labour market.

The discussion of the EU Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs will serve as a good basis for further work in the field of EU employment and social policy. These discussions are of particular importance in the middle of the debate on the next cycle of the Lisbon Strategy, to be adopted by the Spring European Council this year.

The EU Ministers of Employment and Social Affairs agreed that flexibility and security were required throughout a person's lifetime at every stage of life. Europe needs flexicurity in order to successfully confront the challenges of the twenty-first century, such as demographic change, accelerated technological advancement, the need for heightened competitiveness, and globalisation.

The Ministers agreed that flexible labour market arrangements have a considerable impact on disadvantaged groups, such as women, migrants, the young, older workers and especially persons with disabilities. It is therefore vital to secure a " Europe of equal opportunities for all” and combat discriminatory practices against disadvantaged groups. The Ministers said this should result from strengthening the fundamental rights of workers, stronger policies of social inclusion and effective strategies for active integration.

It was also stressed that it was also essential to ensure effective investment in human resources for the purpose of sustainable development. Education and training systems which effectively respond to the needs of the labour market, lifelong learning and focused development of employees’ skills should help to achieve this goal.

The Ministers emphasised that responsibility for the practical application of the common principles of flexicurity lies with the Member States. The exchange of good practices and reciprocal learning processes should also be facilitated.

Council of Europe adopts resolution on Universal Design

On the 12th of December 2007 a resolution on Universal Design was adopted by the Council of Europe.

EDF was represented in the working group drafting the resolution throughout the negotiations.

The resolution explicitly recognizes that persons with disabilities should be enabled to have as much personal autonomy and independence as possible, so that they can play a full role in society and take part in economic, social, cultural, leisure and recreational activities and therefore mainstreaming, Design for All and user involvement, should be guiding principles in all the public authorities’ policy areas.

The resolution is also providing a checklist which can help determining whether products, general services, systems respect the principles of universal design.

The full resolution is available on:

http://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1226267&Site=CM&BackColorInternet=9999CC&
BackColorIntranet=FFBB55&BackColorLogged=FFAC75

Council adopts resolution on the situation of disabled persons in Europe

Thanks to the impulse of the Slovenian Minister of Labour, Family and Social Affairs, Marjeta Cotman, who chaired the meeting of the Council on Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs on 29 February 2008, the Council adopted a Resolution on the situation of persons with disabilities in the European Union – European Action Plan 2008-2009”.

The latest disability specific resolution adopted by the Council was in 2003. This newly adopted resolution is thus a new step forward in the commitment of the EU Member States to make disability a priority in the political agenda at national and European level.

In its Resolution, the Council considers accessibility as a priority issue enabling disabled citizens to enjoy an independent and active social and economic living which will only be achieved through the full implementation of the UN Convention on the rights of disabled persons and through the development of instruments to ensure full participation of disabled persons in society.

The resolution, a legally non-binding instrument, responds to the Commission's communication on this subject, which sets out the priorities for 2008-2009 in the context of the European Disability Action Plan (2003-2010). It invites the Member States and the Commission to ensure that persons with disabilities enjoy their human rights in full, and

That employment, education and training, mainstream goods, services and infrastructure as well as information and communication technologies are better accessible for persons with disabilities, as this is a precondition for their autonomy and their inclusion and participation.

In order to achieve these objectives, the resolution calls for various actions, including:

• concluding, ratifying and implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities, signed by the European Community and its member states in 2007;
• further developing a comprehensive policy-mix of all appropriate instruments with a view to eliminating discrimination and integrating persons with disabilities into society;
• encouraging the gradual replacement of care institutions by community-based alternatives, wherever appropriate;
• starting work on a future European disability strategy to succeed the current action plan;
• maintaining a dialogue among all stakeholders.

In addition, the institutions of the European Union should continue to apply an equal opportunities policy to job applicants and to further improve the accessibility of their buildings for people with disabilities.

Council adopts the 2008 Joint reports on Social Protection and Social Inclusion 2008 and 2007-2008 joint report on Employment 2007/2008

The Employment and Social Policy Council has adopted last Friday the Joint Employment Report 2007/2008 and the Joint Social protection and Social Inclusion report 2008. These reports show all the policies taken by EU member states in the area of Employment, Social Inclusion, pensions, health and long term care.

EDF will produce a reponse before the Spring Council meeting on 14th March when the Heads of State and Government should endorse some conclusions following the analysis of both joint reports.

Regarding people with disabilities, the Joint Employment report states: “With an employment rate of 50%, people with disabilities also remain a potentially large untapped resource of additional labour supply” . The Joint Social Protection and Social Inclusion report states that a key aim should be: “to enhance work opportunities for the disabled and low qualified by improving working conditions, validating non-formal learning and providing opportunities for skills upgrading, including ICT skills, retraining and life-long learning, often drawing on ESF funding”. The Joint report on Social protection and Social Inclusion also focuses on the health inequalities within the European Union (and within the countries) as well as the increase on the risks of poverty for vulnerable groups.

Both documents can be consulted at :

http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/08/st06/st06214.en08.pdf and

http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/employment_strategy/pdf/jer2007_2008_en.pdf

STATE AIDS - Last European Commission’s proposal of a General Block Exemption Regulation on the field of State Aids

On 28th February 2008 the European Commission has presented its Draft General Block exemption Regulation on the area of State Aids. The current proposal has introduced some important changes such as the article related to the percentage of aid intensity for wage subsidies (article 36) since it has changed from 60% to 75% (EDF had proposed 80% in its position paper) and has deleted the minimum requirement of 12 months contract to enjoy the subsidies.

There is still room to improve the rest of articles related to definitions such as “disabled worker”, “sheltered employment” and “supported employment” (this last definition being the most problematic and confusing of the last proposal). EDF, based on the previous comments made to the European Commission’s proposal on 8/09/2007 will insist on improving the list of additional costs covered by the regulation in article 37 and the improvement of the definitions mentioned.

To access the draft regulation presented by the European Commission please use this link: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/state_aid/reform/gber3_en.pdf

UN renames International Day of Disabled Persons

On 18 December 2007, the United Nations General Assembly renamed the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed every year on 3 December, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

The 192 Member States of the General Assembly took that decision unanimously when adopting a resolution on "Implementation of the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons: realizing the Millennium Development Goals for persons with disabilities". The Assembly also called on United Nations agencies and bodies engaged in development, humanitarian assistance and protection of the environment to ensure that the disability perspective is incorporated in their work.

In a related development, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is now six ratifications away from coming into force. It was ratified by Mexico on 17 December, by El Salvador on 14 December and by Nicaragua on 7 December. Twenty ratifications are needed to bring the treaty into force. For information, see http://www.un.org/disabilities/

Also, the "Handbook for Parliamentarians on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities" is available on-line at http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=212.

UN Human Rights Council meeting addresses Human Rights and Disability

The seventh session of the UN Human Rights Council is held in Geneva from 3 to 28 March 2008. One of the issues on the agenda will be human rights and disability. It is expected that the Council will adopt a resolution which will outline some of the steps the Council will take to mainstream disability in the human rights agenda.

The High Commissioner will submit a report on OHCHR activities on human rights and disability as a background document (A/HRC/7/61).

To learn more about the Human Rights Council on the OHCHR website and to view the meeting documents including the OHCHR Annual Activity Report , go to http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/

Ageing Deaf – International Conference April 2008

Date: 22-25 April 2008
Place: Wels, Austria
Website: http://www.agedeaf.org

1st European Festival of Deaf Theatre

Date: 1-3 May 2008
Place: Napoli, Italy
Website: http://www.enscampania.org

4th Deaf Academics International Conference

Date: 25-27 June 2008
Place: Dublin, Ireland
Website: http://www.deafacademics.org/

8 th IFHOH Congress “A global Community of Communication”

Date: 2-6 July 2008
Place: Vancouver, Canada
Website: http://www.chha-ifhohcongress2008.com

4th German Culture Days of the Deaf

Date: 21-23 August 2008
Place: Cologne, Germany
Website: http://www.gehoerlosen-kulturtage.de

AGM & Conference of European Forum of Sign Language Interpreters 2008

Date: 12-14 September 2008
Place: The Hague (Voorschoten), the Netherlands
Website: http://www.nbtg.nl/efsli2008