(2004/C 33 E/181)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1850/03

by Angelika Niebler (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(3 June 2003)

Subject:   EU funds for people with disabilities from 2004

The European Commission declared 2003 the Year of People with Disabilities'. Numerous projects, events and initiatives promoting the integration of disabled people are being given financial support by the EU to mark the occasion. The deadlines for submitting suggestions for projects were in March.

No specific EU programme currently exists to promote the integration of disabled people.

What plans has the Commission made in this area?

What programmes and actions will be maintained by financial support for work with disabled people after the end of the ‘Year of People with Disabilities’?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(23 July 2003)

The Commission cannot commit itself to introducing a specific action programme at the moment. One of the objectives of the European Year of People with Disabilities will be to identify new challenges to address and to pave the way for new initiatives at Union level. In consultation with the various actors, the Commission will evaluate the European Year and consider relevant initiatives to propose in order to move the Union disability agenda forward. Moreover, account has to be taken by the fact that disability issues are currently directly addressed in several new programmes which have just started such as the nondiscrimination programme, the EQUAL Community initiative or in the Commission's actions to promote social inclusion. In the context of the non discrimination programme, a series of disability-specific activities are undertaken: national information days, support to disability organisations, award for all design and some transnational projects specifically dealing with disability discrimination issues.

In the Commission's view, supporting citizens with disabilities to become an effective part of the economic and social fabric of society means participation in the mainstream whenever it is possible and taking account of their needs in all relevant policy areas: herein lies full social integration. The Commission therefore aims to do this under all its relevant funding programmes, allowing access to these for disabled people and the organisations which represent them, and thereby promoting an approach based on mainstreaming and integration, rather than segregation into disability-specific arrangements.