Brussels, 15/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - At the occasion of the conference held in London on 8 and 9 November by the UK Presidency on "Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People", the British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Minister for Disabled People, Anne McGuire, launched an appeal for an end to discrimination towards people living with a disability in the EU, because this is an essential condition for the Lisbon objectives to be achieved. Tony Blair explained that breaking down barriers throughout Europe is the key to guaranteeing that disabled people can play their role in society to the full. "If we are genuinely committed to the Lisbon objectives, we must ensure that disability remains on the top of the EU's political agenda, and that we must all work together at the highest level", said Anne McGuire, thus supporting demands by the European Disability Forum (EDF). The Minister urged her EU colleagues to meet each year, a proposal which was warmly welcomed by the president of the EDF, Yannis Vardakastanis, who called for the European leaders finally to adopt "a long-term vision of disability".