On July 18 2024, Ursula Von der Leyen has been re-elected as President of the European Commission by the European Parliament for the mandate (2024-2029). On this occasion, President Von der Leyen released a set of Political Guidelines for the European Commission for 2024-2029. Autism-Europe warmly welcomes that autism research is highlighted as one of the political priorities of this upcoming period, in line with one of our core policy demands. We look forward to cooperating with the European Commission and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that future research improves the lives of 7 million autistic people who live in Europe. However, we are very concerned by the lack of explicit commitment to advancing disability rights and the lack of reference to any future actions in the framework of the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2021-2030). We look forward to further clarifications on the matter and engaging in civil dialogue with the European Commission to design the next stage of the EU Disability Strategy.
We warmly welcome the fact that autism research is highlighted as a priority in the European Commission political guidelines for the next 5 years. It is in line with one of the key demand of our EU election pledge that calls for ‘research and innovation on autism, with the participation and consultation of autistic people and their families, in order to enhance their quality of life’.
Therefore, Autism-Europe looks forward to cooperating with the European Commission and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the research agenda addresses adequately the urgent needs of autistic people in Europe.
Any research on autism must involve the active participation of autistic people, their families and their representative organisations. Autistic people and their families must be meaningfully involved in shaping the research agenda, to ensure it addresses their main concerns. Truly participatory research requires the active involvement of autistic people and their families at all stages. It must be coproduced and shaped by the lived experience of autistic people.
We also welcome the commitment to advancing the ‘Union of Equality’ with the reappointment of a dedicated Commissioner as well as the proposals of several key initiatives on social matters, notably to further the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. However, a “Union of Equality” cannot materialise without adequate mainstreaming of disability rights in all EU policies.
That is why; we are surprised and concerned about the lack of mention of disability in the European Commission Political Guidelines for the next mandate. We expect from the European Commission a clear and explicit commitment to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) ratified by the EU in 2010. Alongside the Social Platform, the European Disability Forum (EDF) and other European Disability organisations, we expect that the EU Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2021-2030) will continue to be operationalised through the adoption of a new set of actions for the coming mandate. Indeed, the EU Disability Strategy so far only includes initiatives until 2024. Therefore, we very much look forward to receiving clarification on its next steps.
We expect the EU to develop and support concrete policies to improve the quality of life and fully realise the rights of autistic people in Europe. Some of the key challenges faced by autistic people and related recommendations are highlighted in the recent European Parliament Resolution on Harmonising the rights of autistic people adopted in 2023.
In line with the UNCRPD, we need a strategic and holistic approach to address the needs of autistic people in all areas of life and fight the discrimination they routinely experience across the EU. The realisation of the rights of people with disabilities – who represent 100 million people in the European Union – is a cornerstone of a Union of Equality.