EUROPEAN DISABILITY DIRECTIVE

Early day motion 1269, tabled 20 May 2003 by Paul Holmes (Liberal Democrat). Signed by 63 members.

That this House welcomes the proposal by the European Disability Forum for a new European Disability Directive prohibiting discrimination against Europe's 50 million disabled people in housing, education, transport, the built environment, access to goods and services, healthcare and the design of manufactured products; believes that such a directive is an indispensable requirement for enabling disabled citizens of the European Union to achieve freedom of movement and equal participation; notes that the Disability Rights Commission recommends such a directive in its recent review of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; further notes that the German Government is in favour of such a directive; and calls on the Government to publicly endorse the need for such a directive in principle by the end of the European Year of Disabled People 2003 and to rally support for such a move among other current member states and those joining the EU in 2004.

Signatures by party: Labour 32, Liberal Democrat 22, Labour/Co-operative 4, UUP 3, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.