UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reviews the implementation of the UNCRPD by the EU

UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reviews the implementation of the UNCRPD by the EU

On 11-12th of March, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities held a constructive dialogue with EU representatives, where it conducted a review of the EU’s implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In follow-up, on 21 March, the UN Committee issued a report with its conclusions on the review.

The Committee welcomed EU initiatives such as the European Accessibility Act, the Web Accessibility Directive, and the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030.

Nevertheless the Committee showed its concern on several points (non-exhaustive):

• The fact that the measures contained in the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (“Disability Rights Strategy”) ended in 2024, and that concrete plans for the next term have yet to be adopted.
• The European Commission’s announcement to withdraw the proposal for a Council Directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of disability, religion or belief, age or sexual orientation (Equal Treatment Directive)
• EU legislation and policies on gender equality and disability insufficiently protect the rights of women with disabilities.
• The gaps of accessibility requirements in digital legislation, such as in the Digital Services Act, that considers accessibility as voluntary good practice.
• The European Disability Card and Parking Card do not encompass social security or social protection benefits essential for long-term relocation, and that Member States retain wide discretion in their definition of eligibility criteria and disability status.
• The fragmentation of assistive technologies across the EU, with different certification schemes and provision models, creates barriers to access and choice.
• The EU lacks dedicated strategies for the provision of habilitation and rehabilitation services, their inclusion in cross-border healthcare coverage, and funding mechanisms;
• There is widespread inequality in the availability, affordability, and quality of habilitation services for persons with disabilities;
• Budgetary measures in Member States exacerbate the shortage of rehabilitation services and increase financial burdens on persons with disabilities and that access to habilitation programmes is insufficiently tailored to individual requirements.
• Employment disparities among persons with disabilities persist across Member States, due to the lack of reasonable accommodation, disability stigma, prejudice and incompatibility of disability benefits with paid work; 

More information on the meetings held on 11-12th of March is available here.