Two years after the publication of the CRPD’s Committee concluding observations to the European Union, this hearing was the opportunity to take stock of the work carried out so far with the Disability Strategy and to look towards at a renewed strategy after 2020. Although the Commissioners will be renewed in 2019, it is important to start drawing the lines of this strategy to make sure it won’t be weakened by the post 2021 Multi-annual Financial Framework (the Multi-annual Financial Framework sets the maximum annual amounts of EU spendings in different political fields over a period of at least 5 years).
AGE took the opportunity of this hearing to highlight the following main points:
- the importance of two main trends which impact the access to support in case of disability in old age: permanent austerity and state disengagement, as well as digitalisation
- the need for consistent recognition of the rights of persons with disabilities across the life course to avoid a gap in access to rights for older persons acquiring disabilities
- the challenge of accessing quality care and the issue of elder abuse among older persons with disabilities
- the need to strengthen accessibility across the EU to support independent living.
AGE will continue to follow closely the implementation of the UN CRPD by the EU and its members states and to contribute to the discussion around the post 2020 disability strategy to make sure specific barriers faced by older persons with disabilities are tackled.
For more information on this event, please contact Julia Wadoux: julia.wadoux@age-platform.eu
