I ask you to transform the landscape for the disabled people with them, not for them. I am so grateful that you are facilitating this conversation and instigating this debate. But this cannot just be a moment. It is a movement that I invite you to join, Ms Burke tells the EESC on the eve of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities

On 2 December, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) hosted a debate with Irish disability advocate, writer and broadcaster Sinéad Burke in its plenary session dedicated to the empowerment of persons with disabilities and their inclusion in all spheres of economic, social and political life in the EU and beyond.

Held on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD), observed globally every year on 3 December, the debate was marked by an inspiring, moving and very personal speech delivered by Ms Burke and by powerful statements by EESC disability activists and other members.

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, it’s important to reflect on where we have come from and the progress that we have made. For many of us, the medical model of disability is within our lived experience. This meant that disabled people were classified by their medical condition and that they were spoken about, never spoken with or to. This framing of disability led to the perception that it was a burden on individuals, families, communities and societies. When someone was born disabled, sympathy was whispered, Ms Burke said.

Ms Burke is battling for disability rights on many fronts. Through her company, Tilting the Lens, she works towards accelerating systemic change in the perception and treatment of persons with disabilities within the domains of education and design. She has just received a literary award for her first book, Break the Mould, which encourages children to acknowledge differences and be proud of who they are, just as they are. Ms Burke is also the first little person to feature on the cover of Vogue and to attend the Met Gala.

I am incredibly proud to be disabled. My disability is one of my identities that defines me, that shapes my expertise and interests, and frames my perspective of the world. It has heightened my empathy and rehearsed my vulnerability, she told the EESC plenary session, where she had her EU debut.

Ms Burke was welcomed by the EESC president, Christa Schweng, who recalled the importance of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), a breakthrough international treaty which changed the way in which we perceive disability. It was signed by the EU in 2010 but has still not been ratified by all of its Member States.

Letting go of both a medical and charitable approach – the one in which, in Ms Burke’s words, an act of inclusion is rooted in generosity, the CRPD acknowledged the rights of persons with disabilities to live with dignity and to take part in decision-making processes, particularly those that concern them. It placed the responsibility of removing the barriers on society, which has a duty to make the world inclusive and accessible to all.

The approach taken by the UN CPRD was revolutionary and represented a big step forward. Unfortunately, the situation is still difficult and further measures are needed, the EESC president stated.

I feel each of us can contribute to advancing disability rights, be it by raising awareness, advocating or engaging politically. At our level, I can ensure that in the coming years the EESC will continue to commit to this cause, one which is very close to our hearts, Ms Schweng continued.

There are about 87 million people with some form of disability in the EU. With the ageing of society, the number of persons with disabilities will continue to grow in the future.

The plenary debate focused on the burning issues that still need to be solved to achieve equality, equity and inclusion of citizens with disabilities, enabling them to live their lives to the full as active members of society.

The speakers stressed the importance of inclusive education and employment, accessible workplaces, but also of the use of language, which should make persons with disabilities feel safe and comfortable.

Involving persons with disabilities in all decisions that directly affect them is also paramount.

The spotlight was put on the devastating effect of the pandemic on citizens with disabilities, as many of the COVID-19 victims were people in homes for the elderly or in institutions, the people who paid the heaviest price. This year, the IDPD is dedicated to building back a more disability-inclusive, accessible and sustainable post COVID-19 world.

Persons with disabilities have suffered from neglect by decision makers. They have to be protected and prioritised by the EU and Member States. The health situation and lives of persons with disabilities matter too, said Ioannis Vardakastanis, EESC member and president of the European Disability Forum.

The EU Disability Strategy for the next decade must lead to a true paradigm shift. It can only be efficient if it considers the consequences of the pandemic and influences Member States’ policies and expenditure, warned the head of the EESC’s Thematic Group on Disability Rights, Pietro Vittorio Barbieri.

With the focus of her work on education and accessibility enabling people to live independently, Ms Burke saw the glimmer of a positive takeaway from the pandemic.

If there is a positive in the destruction of the virus, it is that this moment has granted us an opportunity to redesign our world. As we think about redesigning places and spaces for social distancing, let us also imagine how that could be accessible. Thinking this way will make our towns, cities and countries a safe and equitable invitation for people to be themselves, she concluded.

As a way of marking the IDPD, the EESC presented a short film, To Be or Not to Be (in Corona times), produced by Theater Stap, a small Belgium-based theatre company which works with people with intellectual disabilities.

 EESC IS TIRELESSLY CAMPAIGNING FOR A MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE EU

The EESC has been advocating for disability rights for many years. Its Thematic Group on Disability Rights oversees the implementation of the CRPD in the EU and organises numerous hearings and country visits to assess the situation on the ground. Headed by Mr Barbieri, who was a member of an Italian delegation at the UN that was directly involved in drafting the CRPD in 2006, the group also provides a networking platform for many disability and other civil society organisations.

The EESC’s recent work has focused on the EU’s new disability agenda 2020-2030. In an opinion by Mr Vardakastanis, the EESC calls for the agenda to be fully aligned with the CRPD.

At its December plenary session, the EESC also adopted the opinion on The need to guarantee real rights for persons with disabilities to vote in European Parliament elections. This is a follow-up to the EESC’s 2019 information report, which found that millions of EU citizens with disabilities were deprived of their voting rights due to legal or organisational obstacles still in place in all EU countries. In its new opinion, the EESC asks for an urgent amendment to the EU’s electoral law to guarantee universally accessible EU elections in 2024.

The Council today approved a declaration on mainstreaming the fight against antisemitism across policy areas.

With this declaration the Council emphasises that the fight against antisemitism is a cross-cutting issue involving various levels of government and policies at local, national and European level Awareness of antisemitism therefore needs to be raised across policy areas and responsibilities. The EU member states have agreed to mainstream the prevention and countering of antisemitism in all its forms.

Antisemitism is an EU-wide phenomenon. To counter it effectively, we need an appropriate set of European instruments and a sufficient basis. This is precisely the approach taken by the declaration, which I greatly welcome. In my view, tackling antisemitism as a comprehensive and networked task extending across policy areas and levels of government is a real milestone.

Felix Klein, Federal Government Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany and the Fight against Antisemitism

The Council expresses its concern at the increase in threats to Jewish people in Europe, and the resurgence of conspiracy myths, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the increase in antisemitic incidents and hate crime.

It stresses that antisemitism has developed into various forms and must be combated with complementary public policies. Illegal hate speech and online terrorist content must be removed promptly and consistently by internet service providers. A strong and systematic judicial response to antisemitic acts is also necessary.

Education about the Holocaust, antisemitism and Jewish life remains one of the most important tools in preventing antisemitic prejudices. Sharing good practices to foster media literacy and awareness of conspiracy myths is also key.

The member states also welcome the European Commission’s decision to make the fight against antisemitism a priority, as well as the strengthening of the institutional basis for the coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life.

The explosion on August fourth made a fragile situation even more fragile. I visited Lebanon just four days after the explosion – I saw the devastation with my own eyes. And spoke with the people of Beirut.

Lebanon already faced many challenges. In particular, a deep economic and political crisis, made worse by COVID-19. Following the explosion, the European Union stepped up with immediate support to Lebanon to address the most urgent humanitarian needs. In total, we mobilised more than 70 million euros for immediate emergency needs. And we will continue to play an active role in providing assistance to the Lebanese people.

We are currently adapting our assistance programmes to focus on economic and social recovery. To improve governance, support civil society, revive the local and national economy, and restore essential services. And we are adapting the activities of our Trust Fund for the Syrian crisis. We want to improve our support for Syrian refugees to better address economic, social and medical needs. This totals almost 100 million euros in additional funding. And this is on top of at least 69 million euros of humanitarian assistance pledged so far by EU Member States. And we have carried out — with the UN and the World Bank — a “Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment” to define the most pressing reconstruction needs.

I’m pleased to announce today that with those partners we have established a “Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework” to put the findings into action. But now we must look resolutely to the future. It’s time for the country’s leaders to come together and take the needed decisions to change course. This is the only way Lebanon will address these challenges. This will be a difficult process.  But a transparent and accountable government must be formed to carry out the necessary reforms. And negotiations with the IMF have to be resumed as soon as possible.

The engagement of civil society — especially women and youth — will be key to gaining the confidence of the Lebanese people. The European Union will continue to support a people-centred recovery. But beyond this emergency support, the assistance necessary for reconstruction will depend on concrete progress on reforms.

We are committed to the unity, sovereignty, stability, independence and territorial integrity of Lebanon. We also stress the importance of continuing to respect the Baabda Declaration on the policy of dissociating from all regional conflicts.

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary General, Lebanon is a friend and a key, long-standing partner of the European Union. The Lebanese people can count on us. Thank you.

Connected devices, including machines, sensors and networks that make up the Internet of Things (IoT), will play a key role in further shaping Europe’s digital future, and so will their security.

The Council today approved conclusions that acknowledge the increased use of consumer products and industrial devices connected to the internet and the related new risks for privacy, information security and cybersecurity. The conclusions set out priorities to address this crucial issue, and to boost the global competitiveness of the EU’s IoT industry by ensuring the highest standards of resilience, safety and security.

The conclusions underline the importance of assessing the need for horizontal legislation in the long term to address all relevant aspects of the cybersecurity of connected devices, such as availability, integrity and confidentiality. This would include specifying the necessary conditions for placement on the market.

Cybersecurity certification as defined under the Cybersecurity Act will be essential for raising the level of security within the digital single market. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity ENISA is already working on cybersecurity certification schemes, and the conclusions invite the Commission to consider a request for candidate cybersecurity certification schemes for connected devices and related services.

The Council adopted the conclusions by written procedure.

The Council adopted conclusions calling the Commission and the member states for greater efforts to reduce the gender pay gap and gender gaps in care, and to combat gender stereotypes.

The Council has approved Conclusions on “Tackling the Gender Pay Gap: Valuation and Distribution of Paid Work and Unpaid Care Work”.

In its conclusions, the Council calls on the Commission to step up the efforts to reduce the gender pay gap and gender gaps in care, using all available measures, and to follow up the measures set out in the EU Action Plan 2017 – 2019 on Tackling the gender pay gap.

The conclusions highlight a two-pronged approach to achieve both equal pay and comprehensive equality on the labour market: firstly, paid work and unpaid care work need to be shared on an equal basis between women and men, and, secondly, the provision of public infrastructure and external services is crucial to allow for the “outsourcing” of care work.   

The conclusions also invite the member states to further develop or establish a framework, including collective agreements where relevant, for the sharing of paid work and unpaid care work between men and women on an equal basis. At the same time, member states are invited to take steps to ensure that the value of care-related occupations is recognised.

In addition, the Council also invites the member states and the Commission to design and implement measures to combat gender stereotypes that restrict the free choices of girls and boys and women and men regarding their studies and careers. Among the suggested measures are combating gender stereotypes in early childhood, pre-school, primary and secondary education, and better informing young people about all relevant aspects and implications regarding occupational choices.

The Council also calls on the social partners to give due consideration to gender equality in the context of collective bargaining.

The conclusions are based on a report prepared by the European Institute for Gender Equality. They were drawn up within the context of the review of the implementation of the United Nations agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment (Beijing Platform for Action), with particular reference to the area of women and the economy.

The conclusions were approved by written procedure.