91999E1033

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1033/99

by Richard Howitt (PSE) to the Commission

(20 April 1999)

Subject: Organisation of the European Day of Disabled People by private consultants

Does the European Commission accept that the organisation of this event by profit-making public relations consultants was a grave error? Will the Commission explain how a consultancy who began their presentation "We are not experts on disability" came to be selected? Will the Commission apologise that transport for mobility-impaired persons was chaotic on the day of the event, and that reimbursement of travel expenses to unemployed disabled citizens such as Mr W. Derek-Main of Euro-Ataxia has not occurred eight weeks after the event? At the same time, why had the company not supplied even the attendance list to the Commission itself, as had been promised? Will the Commission now ensure, in line with Parliament's wishes, that future European Days are organised by disabled people themselves under the auspices of the European Disability Forum, sub-contracting to public relations companies for specialist assistance in this field should this be required?

Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission

(5 May 1999)

Thanks to unprecedented TV and newspaper coverage, the organisation of the European Day of Disabled People in 1998 achieved its stated objective, namely to increase public awareness about the rights of disabled people. All this was possible thanks to the expertise of a specialist communications and public relations agency. The Commission was of course very concerned to make sure the content of the Day, which aims to celebrate the rights of disabled people, was decided in agreement with disabled people or their representatives. To this end, the European Disability Forum was closely involved in deciding upon all the initiatives organised for the Day.

Concerning the case of the individual mentioned by the Honourable Member, the Commission can confirm that his travel expenses were reimbursed on 21 January 1999 by the above-mentioned agency. The Commission regrets all the problems encountered on the day of the event. The attendance list, which was supplied to all participants on the day itself, will be transmitted direct to the Honourable Member and to the Parliament's Secretariat.

The Commission shares the Honourable Member's concerns to enlist the full support of disabled people themselves through their representatives. To this end, it intends to make sure that all initiatives organised for future European Days of Disabled People are organised under the auspices of the European Disability Forum. There have already been several preliminary contacts with the Forum for the 1999 European Day of Disabled People. The Forum will be fully and effectively involved in all the decisions surrounding the organisation of the 1999 Day.