On Friday 18 November, the Member States’ ambassadors to the EU (‘Coreper’) endorsed the conclusions of the Czech Presidency of the EU Council regarding the inclusion of people with disabilities in the labour market. They are calling on Member States to implement the guidelines contained in the European Commission’s proposed Disability Employment Package as part of the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021–2030 (see EUROPE 12670/4), while highlighting the need to support businesses.
They are suggesting that, in order to promote employment, European countries should develop “effective systems and incentives to encourage employers on the open labour market to employ persons with disabilities and thus reduce the wage gap between persons with disabilities and persons without disabilities, while respecting the autonomy of the social partners”. Within this context, they note the issue of reasonable accommodation, which is also blocking negotiations on the Equal Treatment Directive (see EUROPE 13032/16).
Member States have also highlighted the value of vocational training and social enterprises as a bridge for people with disabilities to the “open” labour market. They are therefore recommending that the European Social Fund (ESF+) is mobilised, in particular to improve the “accessibility and inclusiveness of employment and career guidance services and promoting integrated pathways for the labour market inclusion of people with disabilities”.
Finally, they are inviting Member States to strengthen their collaboration with associations that promote the employment of people with disabilities. They note the importance of paying specific attention to, and preventing risks for, people with disabilities in the labour market, especially with regard to potential accidents at work and discrimination.
These conclusions should be formally approved by EU ministers at the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council (EPSCO) on 8 December.
To read the conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/453 (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)