Euro-MP welcomes Disability Directive

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 12th Dec 2003

West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne has welcomed the announcement by Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou that the European Commission is now committed to introducing a specific Disability Directive.

Ms Diamiantopoulou's comments were made at the closing ceremony of the European Year of People with Disabilities.

Commenting, Liz said:

"This is very welcome news. Many of us have been campaigning for this for years and this announcement is the sort of positive outcome that I called for when I drafted the report for the Parliament that established the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003."

A specific Disability Directive would complement the Commission's European Action plan on disability and would work in parallel to the Framework Directive on Equal Treatment in Employment. A specific Disability Directive would prohibit the discrimination disabled people experience in access to goods and services.

"What we now need from the Commission is a clear timetable spelling out when exactly the draft Directive is to be published. I look forward to seeing this in the Commission's Green Paper on anti-discrimination legislation that is scheduled to be tabled next year."

*As well as being the rapporteur of the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003, Liz also drafted the Parliament's report supporting a UN Convention on Disabled People's Rights earlier this year.