Autism-Europe’s ‘Not Invisible’ campaign was launched on World Autism Awareness Day 2024, with the active support of its members across Europe. Many MEPs and MEP candidates from various EU countries – some of whom are at the helm of the European Parliament – pledged for the rights and needs of autistic individuals and their families. Autism-Europe welcomes the important participation and support for the campaign and is now advocating for the re-establishment of the Disability Intergroup in the European Parliament.
After its campaign ‘Not Invisible’ launched for World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) 2024 at the European Parliament (EP) hosted by MEP Rosa Estaràs Ferragut (from Spain), Autism-Europe (AE) saw participation from its member associations, partners and stakeholders in Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey. Co-created with its member associations since mid-2023, the multiannual ‘Not Invisible’ campaign calls for a society in which autistic people are fully recognised. As such, autistic people should get the understanding, acceptance as well as full enjoyment of the rights they deserve. In 2024, the campaign AE focused on the European elections, asking candidates to sign a pledge to support the rights and needs of autistic people and their families. Together with its members, Autism-Europe gathered the support of 83 MEPs and MEP candidates from 15 EU countries. Of these, 26 MEPs from nine EU countries got (re-)elected – around a third of those that endorsed Autism-Europe’s pledge.
Find the list of our supporters so far here.
If you are a new or re-elected MEP, Autism-Europe still invites you to pledge support for the rights and needs of autistic people and their families for the new legislative term. Please access the pledges in English, French and Spanish.
A frequent Autism-Europe supporter is Roberta Metsola. The Member of the European Parliament from Malta, a past and present Autism-Europe supporter, was re-elected for another two and a half years as the President of the European Parliament at the start of the new legislative period. Two of the 14 newly elected European Parliament Vice Presidents are past and recent Autism-Europe supporters: Victor Negrescu and Nicolae Ștefănuță (both from Romania). Autism-Europe 2024 pledge supporter and former Vice President of the European Parliament Marc Angel (from Luxembourg) will serve as one of the EP’s quaestors.
While the number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) with disabilities decreased in the tenth legislature 2024-2029, Autism-Europe is delighted to see continuous disability community representation in the hemicycle. Reelected MEP and Autism-Europe 2024 pledge supporter Katrin Langensiepen (from Germany) was re-appointed as one of the vice chairs of the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL). Autism-Europe has been collaborating with the German MEP and has addressed the committee in the past mandate. Reelected MEP Estaràs Ferragut has become one of the vice chairs of the European Parliament Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM). The committee has in the past called out the double discrimination of women with disabilities. Reelected MEP and Autism-Europe 2024 pledge supporter Tilly Metz (from Luxembourg) became one of the Vice Chairs of the European Parliament Subcommittee on Health (SANT). Reelected MEP and AE past campaign supporter Dolors Montserrat (from Spain) swapped chairs with vice chair of the European Parliament Committee on Petitions (PETI). This committee drafted the recent resolution on Harmonising the Rights of autistic people, which constitutes a strong call for action that we hope will see concrete outcomes in the years to come. Autism-Europe 2024 pledge supporter Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (from Ireland) remains the only autistic MEP.
Autism-Europe now calls on MEPs to support the re-establishment of the Intergroup on Disability. It is an informal exchange platform between MEPs and with civil society actors on disability policies in the European Union, established for the first time in 1980. Autism-Europe is joining the European Disability Forum (EDF) in calling for support of the Intergroup on Disability. The Intergroup on Disability is managed by EDF, of which Autism-Europe is a founding member.
Find the support form for the re-establishment of Intergroup on Disability here.