Decision 2001/903 - 2001/903/EC: Council Decision of 3 December 2001 on the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003 - Main contents

official title

 

Legal instrument	Decision
Number legal act	Decision 2001/903
Original proposal	COM(2001)271
CELEX number i	32001D0903

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2001/903/EC: Council Decision of 3 December 2001 on the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003

Official Journal L 335 , 19/12/2001 P. 0015 - 0020

Council Decision

of 3 December 2001

on the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003

(2001/903/EC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 13 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(2),

Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(3),

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions(4),

Whereas:

• (1) 

  The promotion of a high level of employment and of social protection, and the raising of the standard of living and quality of life of the population of the Member States, are objectives of the European Community.

• (2) 

  The Community Charter of the Fundamental Social Rights of Workers recognises the need to take appropriate action for the social and economic integration of disabled people.

• (3) 

  The Resolution of the Council and the Ministers for Education, meeting within the Council, of 31 May 1990 concerning integration of children and young people with disabilities into ordinary systems of education stresses that "the Member States have agreed to intensify, where necessary, their efforts to integrate or encourage integration of pupils and students with disabilities, in all appropriate cases, into the ordinary education system".

• (4) 

  The Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the Council of 20 December 1996 on equality of opportunity for people with disabilities(5), and the Council Resolution of 17 June 1999 on equal employment opportunities for people with disabilities(6), reaffirm the basic human rights of disabled people to equal access to social and economic opportunities.

• (5) 

  The conclusions of the Lisbon European Council of 23 and 24 March 2000 call upon Member States to take greater account of social exclusion in their employment, education and training, health and housing policies and to define priority actions for specific target groups, such as people with disabilities.

• (6) 

  The European social agenda approved by the Nice European Council meeting on 7, 8 and 9 December 2000(7) states that the European Union will develop, in particular during the European Year of People with Disabilities (2003), "all action intended to bring about the fuller integration of disabled people in all areas of life".

• (7) 

  The year 2003 will mark the 10th anniversary of the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Standard Rules on the Equalisation of Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, which have enabled considerable progress to be made in an approach to disability in accordance with human rights principles.

• (8) 

  This Decision respects fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union(8). In particular, this Decision seeks to promote application of the principles of non-discrimination and integration of people with disabilities.

• (9) 

  The European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions have all urged the Community to strengthen its contribution to efforts in Member States to promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities, with a view to their integration into society.

• (10) 

  On 10 May 2000 the Commission adopted a communication entitled "Towards a barrier-free Europe for people with disabilities", in which it commits itself to developing and supporting a comprehensive and integrated strategy to tackle social, architectural and design barriers that unnecessarily restrict access for...

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