Last week, Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli announced that a new Disability Equality Strategy will be put in place, replacing the one that expires in 2020. The work to shape the new strategy has begun and today, the European Parliament’s Employment and Social Affairs Committee (EMPL Committee) debated a draft resolution on the EU disability…
As we schedule our ‘out of office’ replies at the European Network on Independent Living and start counting down to the end of yet another year, I would like to briefly reflect on 2019 and what it meant for us. Firstly, we will remember this year by turning 30 and taking the first steps into…
On 2 December, the European Network on Independent Living, Disability Rights International (DRI) and the Validity Foundation organised an event in the European Parliament entitled ‘Group Homes – A Defensible Investment?’. The event was hosted by MEP Julie Ward (Socialists & Democrats) and took place in the framework of the European Disability and Development Week,…
This December, the ENIL Youth Network elected its new Board, for the second time after its establishment. They have replaced the previous Board, composed of Rados Keravica (Serbia – chair), Rebecca Farren (UK – vice-chair), Andrey Sosnov (Russia), Beyza UnaI (Turkey), Marijeta Mojasevic (Montenegro) and Kamil Goungor (Greece – only for the first year). The…
Being a member of ENIL for four years, and half of that time using the chance to be part of ENIL Youth Network Board gave me the opportunity to become its representative at Advisory Council on Youth of Council of Europe. It is a privilege and an honor for one disability rights activist. My mandate…
In Brussels, 10 December 2019 – To mark the International Human Rights Day, the European Network on Independent Living – ENIL is launching its second Myth Buster, this time on “EU Funds and Independent Living”. Illustrated by our European Solidarity Corps volunteer, Hatiye Garip, and published as part of the “EU Funds for Our Rights”…
Today, disabled people all over the world celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Just one day after the new European Commission, led by Ursula von der Leyen, takes office, the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) highlights five key demands of Europe’s Independent Living movement for the new Commission. Rather than the usual…
On behalf of the newly elected Board of the European Network on Independent Living, we would like to say hi to all our members and Newsletter subscribers, and thank our members for trusting us to lead the organisation in the next two years. As newly elected Co-chairs, we wish to tell you a bit about…
On 17 October, ENIL’s Advocacy Officer, Frank Sioen, represented ENIL at the conference “ICavi Models of Independent Living” in Porto. The aim of the conference was to collect feedback on the current Pilot Personal Assistance (PA) legislation in view of the upcoming review of this pilot project. The conference started with an overview of the…
On Monday, the 2nd December, ENIL, Disability Rights International and the Validity Foundation are holding a roundtable on investments into group homes for children and adults with disabilities in Europe. The roundtable, hosted by Julie Ward MEP, is aimed primarily at Members of the European Parliament, who will have a chance to learn about research…
In Brussels, 15 November 2019 – For the first time in history, three disability rights organisations have initiated Court proceedings against the European Commission for failing to halt EU infrastructure funding being used by Bulgaria to build institutions for persons with disabilities. Case T-613/19, pending before the EU General Court in Luxembourg, challenges the Decision…
Brussels, 7 November 2019 – Today, the European Ombudsman published her decision in the case submitted by the European Network on Independent Living (ENIL) on 27 October 2018. The case (ref. number 1848/2018/KR) concerns the European Commission’s rejection of ENIL’s application in a call for proposals aiming to establish support for European networks active in…
ENIL is looking for a Project Coordinator for the TRIPS project, on accessible transport solutions for persons with disabilities. The project, in which ENIL is a part of a large Europe-wide consortium, will be implemented over 3 years (2020 – 2022), and is funded through Horizon 2020, the EU framework programme for research and innovation….
The Disability High Level Group held its second meeting on 23rd October in Brussels, bringing together representatives of the social welfare Ministries from the Member States, EU-level NGOs and the staff of the Disability Unit at DG Employment (at the European Commission). On the agenda was the CRPD implementation, the European Disability Strategy, the UN…
Between 1-3 October 2019, around 300 disabled Independent Living activists, their personal assistants and allies from all around Europe, Japan and even Australia, came to Brussels in order to take part in the ENIL Freedom Drive 2019, and to celebrate with us ENIL’s 30th Anniversary. We had a full three-day programme, which included: The workshops…
ENIL’s regional members’ meeting took place in Warsaw on 9 and 10 September. The meeting was organized in cooperation with our Polish member – the Independent Living Institute from Warsaw. The meeting provided an opportunity for our members (around 35 participants), from Belgium, Belarus, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Norway, Russia, Slovenia, and Sweden, to…
ENIL is pleased to launch a briefing paper on the Freedom of Movement, which explores what this means for disabled people in the European Union (EU). The paper starts by discussing the concepts and the legal basis for the right of free movement in the EU. It goes on to look at existing initiatives linked to…
FVID – the Independent Living Forum in Spain has expressed concern about the process of deinstitutionalization in Spain, following a successful submission FEVI – the Independent Living Federation – sent to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities earlier this year and the Committee’s recommendations to Spain on Article 19 of the UN…
“No Limits” explores the rise of the disabled people’s movement in the UK and to some extent beyond. At the core have been the struggles waged by disabled people to exercise control over every aspect of life. Central to the story has been the journey away from segregated residential institutions to a comprehensive social liberation…
On 25 September, ENIL’s ESC volunteers Hatiye Garip and Lisa Madl participated in an accessibility workshop hosted by Apple. The workshop took place in Brussels and offered a small number of representatives from different disability organisations the opportunity to learn more about the accessibility features that have recently been introduced. Sarah Herrlinger, Global Director for…
