The Disability Intergroup has chosen new people to form part of its staff.
The Disability Intergroup is a group which fights for the rights of people with disabilities. Their work is going to be very important this year. The United Nations wants all of the countries in theworld The Disability Intergroup is going to help in the talks |
Getting ready for the assessment of the European Union’s work in implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), the Disability Intergroup has elected a whole new Bureau consisting of four co-presidents and eight vice-presidents.
This election took place in Strasbourg, during the first meeting the Disability Intergroup had had since being re-established. Although Intergroups have no legislative power, they are key elements in promoting an exchange of views between people from all nationalities and political groups. The Disability Intergroup aims to promote the rights of persons with disabilities at the European Parliament, as well as at a national level.
2015 is the year in which the UN CRPD Committee will examine the progress that the EU has made since it ratified the UN CRPD in 2010. In its article 4.3, the UN CRPD calls on State Parties to actively involve persons with disabilities through their representative organisations. This will be the first time that an external human rights body will make recommendations and have a say in the European Union. The European Disability Forum (EDF) hopes that the Disability Intergroup will contribute to all stages of the dialogue between the EU and the UN CRPD.
Co-presidents:
– Ádám Kósa (EPP, Hungary)
– Richard Howitt (S&D, UK)
– Helga Stevens (ECR, Belgium)
– Pablo Echenique-Robba (GUE/NGL, Spain)
Vice-presidents:
– EPP: Rosa Estaràs-Ferragut (Spain) and Marek Plura (Poland)
– S&D: Olga Sehnavolá (Czech Republic) and Brando Benifei (Italy)
– ECR: Jana Žitnanská (Slovakia)
– ALDE: Marian Harkin (Ireland)
– GUE/NGL: Kostadinka Kuneva (Greece)
– Greens/EFA: Indrek Tarand (Estonia)