Brussels, 16/12/2003 (Agence Europe) - In the context of the European Year for People with Disabilities, the Committee of the Regions (COR) is organising on 16 and 17 December in Logrono (Spain), a seminar on the theme 'The regional dimension of policy for persons with disabilities.' This seminar, which gathers together politicians, experts and representatives from civil society, examines the role that local and regional authorities can play in the advancement of the agenda relating to those with disabilities, and provides an opportunity to raise public awareness to the rights of the over 50 million people who suffer from disabilities within the EU, specifies the COR Communiqué.
On Tuesday, the seminar was opened by Pedro Sanz Alonzo, President of the autonomous region of Rioja, the British Liberal Peter Moore, member of the Committee's Economic and Social Policy Committee and Bas Treffers, Vice-President of the European Disability Forum. The opening session was followed by a working session chaired by the Portuguese Socialist Francisco Mesquita Machado (President of the COR Economic and Social Policy Committee) and covered the theme 'The integration of policies concerning persons with disabilities within the regional agenda: examples of good practices.' The Dutch Liberal Harry Dijksma then spoke on the topic of 'Flevoland: an area for persons with a disability' and the Swedish Christian Democrat Catarina Segersten-Larsson outlined the 'best advisory practices from Swedish counties.'
On Wednesday, the discussions, chaired by the finance and employment advisor to the Rioja government Juan José Munoz, will continue on the same themes with talks by Anna Firkowska-Markiewicz, Sociology Professor and member of the Polish forum for persons with disabilities, Donald Tait, civil servant in DG Employment within the European Commission, Maryanne Rönnersten, from the Swedish Federation for Persons with Disabilities, Isablella Menichini, representative for the Italian Presidency of the EU, Sagrarion Loza, Minister for the Youth, Social Affairs and the Family in the Rioja government, and Philippe Bronchain, member of the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions (Dublin). The advisor to the President and for external actions of the Rioja government and member of the COR (SP, EPP) Emilio del Rio Sanz, will close the works with a talk on the 'agenda for persons with a disability at the regional level: future prospects.' (Info: Paulo Rocha Trindade. GSM: +32/475903661. E-mail: paulo.rochatrindade@cor.eu.int).