Brussels, 27/11/2012 (Agence Europe) - Together with 15 to 25-year-olds, another group of the working population in the EU particularly hard hit by the financial and economic crisis and budget austerity measures is people with disabilities. These people number around 80 million in Europe and one in five people is currently in danger of falling below the poverty threshold. This risk has become increasingly more pronounced since 2008, sometimes dramatically, such as in Ireland (+26.16%), Denmark (+21.27%) and Lithuania (+21.01%). This category of people is most in danger of falling below the breadline.
A unique study published by the European Foundation Centre (EFC) in November provides a broad insight into the different repercussions affecting this category of people from the measures taken by governments in an attempt to balance their books. During a conference on Monday 27 November in Brussels, Commissioner Laszlo Andor (employment, social affairs and inclusion) made a reference to this phenomenon and underlined that it was a challenge that the Commission would attempt to meet by presenting a social investment package at the beginning of 2013. This EFC study underlines “the importance of proper and tailored implementation of active inclusion strategies and the deepening inequalities and growing poverty and exclusion which risk undermining social cohesion and our future prosperity”.
Although Andor deplores the fact that few member states have implemented integrated social inclusion strategies, the EFC demonstrates that existing services for people with disabilities (some of which are co-funded by European Social Funds) are now under threat by budget cuts, privatisation and closures. There are many factors why there is a greater risk of falling into poverty for people with disabilities. Assistance and direct subsidies have been cut - sometimes by up to 30%. Indirect aid, namely aid to non-governmental organisations or companies that primarily employ these people, has also been affected. This is compounded by a cut in the number of people working in social services and less educational support being provided to disabled children. Although this study particularly focuses on six states, it also reveals that countries receiving financial assistance, Greece, Ireland and Portugal are exemplary cases illustrating, “how reduced spending on welfare and social services by some member states is resulting in a disproportionate increase in numbers of people with disabilities losing their jobs, income support and access to fundamental services”. (JK/transl.fl)