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Disability equality research is in the general interest of all - MEP Catherine Trautmann

[21/01/2009]

New Priorities for Disability Research in Europe - European Disability Forum Briefing Seminar on the Consultation Survey "European Research Agendas for Disability Equality" - Brussels, 21 January 2009

On 21 January, representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as stakeholders of the disability, academic and research communities from around 15 European countries gathered for a briefing seminar on the Consultation Survey "European Research Agendas for Disability Equality" which took place at the European Parliament in Brussels. Organised by the European Disability Forum, the briefing seminar was hosted and chaired by Ms Catherine Trautmann, MEP & Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy.

The European Research Agendas for Disability Equality (EuRADE) project seeks to increase and enhance the full participation of disabled people's organisations as equal and active partners in future research initiatives promoting disability equality and non-discrimination in Europe. Funded under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), the project is led by the European Disability Forum (EDF), in partnership with the University of Leeds (United Kingdom) and Maastricht University (The Netherlands).

The primary purpose of the seminar was to present the principal findings and recommendations of a consultation recently conducted by the European Disability Forum, in partnership with the University of Leeds and Maastricht University, with disabled people's organisations in European countries. The consultation, which ran from May to July 2008, aimed at giving disabled people's organisations in Europe the opportunity to share information about their past research experiences, their priorities for future research and their interest in research participation. It gathered responses from 68 organisations in 25 countries, the majority of which work at the national or European levels, and are controlled by disabled people.

Participants discussed and exchanged views on the perspective of future research in Europe highlighting thebarriers to, as well as the potential benefits of, ensuring the equal and full participation of disabled people in research and building research partnerships between disabled people's organisations and researchers. Current opportunities for the participation of disabled people's organisationsin the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) and concrete proposals on how the voice of disabled people may best be represented in shaping European research agendas that will support disability equality and non-discrimination in European societies were also presented.

The briefing seminar was characterised by an open, frank and transparent dialogue between all parties concerned, reflecting the growing interest in research into disability equality and non-discrimination both at the national and European level. This view is reinforced by the closing comments made by Ms Catherine Trautmann MEP who, acknowledging and supporting the concerns raised by representatives of disabled people's organisations in attendance, stated: "We will all become disabled in time, either due to an accident, or disease, or ageing [�]. Disability equality research should therefore take into account 100% of the population and be treated as a first priority in the general interest of all."

The full report of the European Disability Forum Briefing Seminar on the Consultation Survey "European Research Agendas for Disability Equality" may be downloaded as a PDF or Word format below.

The full report on the Consultation Survey "European Research Agendas for Disability Equality, PowerPoint� presentations from some of the keynote speakers as well as other project relevant materials may be downloaded from the Resources website section.

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