This event is hosted by MEP Katrin Langensiepen
Date: 24th of June 2025
Place: European Parliament
Time: 14:00 – 16:00
The United Nations have completed their review of the EUs´ performance in implementing the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD). When it comes to Article 27 on Work and employment the concluding observations to the second and third periodic review state:
“The Committee recommends that the European Union: (a) Repeal legislation that allows public financing of segregated forms of employment for persons with disabilities, such as institutions and other segregated facilities … repeal article 34(2)(f) of the General Block Exemption Regulation … and prohibit State aid of segregated employment.”
Sheltered employment is not in line with the UN CRPD. It is ineffective in integrating disabled citizens into the regular labour market and also exploitative. ENIL found extensive evidence that across the EU, authorities pay substantial subsidies to sheltered employment. This practice is permitted by the EU General Block Exemption Regulation, a key element of the legislative framework on state aid.
Following the decision of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, it is clear that this practice cannot continue.
In cooperation with Member of the European Parliament we are organizing a policy debate, to raise awareness for the urgent need to reform. The event will bring together key stakeholders from the EU Institutions, from national governments and from organisations.
Agenda
| 14:00 – 14:15 | Welcome and Introduction Katrin Langensiepen, Member of the European Parliament Nadia Hadad, Co-Chair of the European Network on Independent Living |
| 14:15 – 14:30 | General Comment No 8 and segregation in employment Prof. Markus Schefer, Member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities |
| 14:30 – 14:40 | Reforming EU State aid law Florian Sanden, Policy Coordinator at ENIL |
| 14:40 – 14:50 | Law for the support of an inclusive labour market Freddy Jussien, Policy Officer at Inclusion Europe |
| 14:50 – 15:05 | Coffee break |
| 15:05 – 15:15 | A perspective from the Commission Ana-Carla Pereira, European Commission, Director for Equality and Non-discrimination |
| 15:15 – 15:25 | A perspective from the Council EU Council Presidency (TBC) |
| 15:30 – 15:55 | Q&A |
| 15:55 – 16:00 | End |