Brussels, 01/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - With the adoption of the own-initiative report by British Liberal Elisabeth Lynne on Thursday 30 November, the European Parliament called for better integration of persons with disabilities in mainstream education and on the job market, and suggested there should be a “European Charter” on the quality of support for disabled people. The report stresses that equality of access to public transport is vital for disabled people who travel to their place of work and for the preservation of social and family networks. The EP welcomes the phasing out of the many forms of discrimination encountered by disabled persons when they use overland or maritime means of transport, but nonetheless stresses that European legislation on the protection of these persons' rights should be adopted for all modes of transport after the fashion of that in force for disabled persons travelling by air. Improved accessibility to information and communication technologies may contribute effectively to reducing high unemployment among people with disabilities, the EP also believes. Nonetheless, over 80% of public websites, including those of the European institutions, are generally not accessible to people with disabilities, it notes. Parliament therefore calls on the European institutions and Member States to take specific action aimed at ensuring that all public institutions' web sites are accessible to people with disabilities. Furthermore, MEPs recall that documentation produced by the European institutions should always be made accessible on demand in accessible formats, including for the blind or partially sighted. MEPs also call on the Commission to work with Member States to promote the integration of disabled persons from a very early age into the mainstream education system whenever this is possible, while acknowledging the fact that, in some cases, special schools may be needed. The EP considers that information campaigns should be launched to encourage employers to provide for the professional insertion of people with disabilities.
The report calls on the Commission to press for a European Charter on quality of support for disabled people with a view to ensuring a high level of integration and participation whatever the method of support: - at home, in an institution or according to mixed arrangements. The Commission is also asked to publish a progress report on the policies and good practice pursued on behalf of the disabled in the individual Member States of the EU in the various sectors concerned. (hb)