NOVEMBER 2001

ELSA chair Edwin Farr published the following announcement in November 2001 about the proposed European Disability Directive:

Dear colleagues,

Proposed European Union Disability Directive

As you may know ELSA is a voting member of the European Disability Forum (EDF) a European umbrella association mostly funded by the European Union. Many of you will recall the presentation by Stefan Trömel of the EDF at the World Congress 2001 in Ghent. Stefan was invited by ELSA to present the work of the EDF and in particular the impact of Article 13 of the Amsterdam Treaty on disabled people including PWS.

One of EDF's main objective, on behalf of European NGO's and European National and Local Disability Organisations, is to achieve a disability specific directive based on Article 13 of the EC Treaty. The European Year of People with Disabilities in 2003 should contribute to creating the proper political climate to achieve this.

In order to help the EDF campaign they have considered it useful to prepare a suggested draft directive, which they intend to present to the European Commission and other EU institutions in early 2002.

Please find enclosed a draft disability specific directive which has been prepared by a group of legal experts in the field of disability at a European level, led by Lisa Waddington, including also Gerard Quinn, Aart Hendriks, Theresia Degener, Miguel Angel Cabra de Luna and Shivaun Quinlivan.

A short explanatory document has also been prepared that introduces the key issues of the proposed directive.

While much of the text focuses on disability provisions the EDF is keen to seek comments from disability specific groups in order that the proposed directive covers all aspects of the diverse range of disabilities.

ELSA believes that for PWS, a directive, when implemented, will contribute to improving the conditions in Europe for all people of all ages who stutter.

I kindly encourage you to discuss this text within your organisation and to forward to me any comments you have.

In particular could you consider how a speech disability or impairment can be usefully added via some nuance or alternative inclusion in the text in order to potentially access a future benefit for PWS.

Please send or email any comments you have on the directive. If you wish to discuss the directive further please do not hesitate to contact me at the above address or at elsa.europe@totalise.co.uk or telephone +441912818003 (evenings).

I would be grateful for any comments your Board or Committee has before 20 December 2001 in order for me to reply to the EDF over the Christmas holiday.

Please also note that discussion of this directive will most likely be discussed, probably in modified versions, over the course of next year so you may feel it could be appropriate to make it available to members of your association to comment on either by mail, newsletter or via your web-site.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely

Edwin J. Farr

Chair of the European League of Stuttering Associations

To read version 3 of the Disability Directive, click here.

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