MONICA SEMEDO MEP, Co-Chair of the Disability Intergroup at the European Parliament
Today I chaired the last meeting of the year of the Disability Intergroup at the European Parliament. Our meeting was particularly timely, because, as we all know, there is only half a year before the next European election campaign kicks off, and our current mandate comes to an end.
This Disability Intergroup has been very active at advocating for the European Parliament to lead by example. We called for sign language interpretation at the State of the Union debate, a contact point in the Parliament, a better way to mainstream the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, more accessibility and awareness on disability matters in this house, and today we will also discussed that.
One of the biggest priorities for persons with disabilities is the European Commission's proposal to establish a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card, a pilot project turned into a legal proposal, with tangible results in the everyday life of 100 European persons with disabilities. If a citizen has a disability status granted in a Member State, must have the same recognition in another Member State. The Card will facilitate and enhance the right of free movement within the EU. There are already some concessions for museums and leisure activities but we need to go beyond.
Today I welcome also de announcement of the Commission for upcoming guidelines to facilitate the accessibility and inclusivity of persons with disabilities for the next EU elections 2024. Everyone votes, everyone counts to shape the future of Europe. We need to ensure that all citizens with disabilities can exercise their right to vote in a clear, easy and fair way. And a special thank you to the European Disability Forum for their hard work setting this meeting up.
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