On May 9th, Autism-Europe welcomes the re-election of our Council of Administration member, Pietro Cirrincione, to the Board of the European Disability Forum (EDF). Pietro has also been elected to serve on EDF’s Executive Committee, helping to continue Autism-Europe’s contribution to the European disability movement.
The election took place in Cyprus during the European Disability Forum’s Annual General Assembly, which gathered over 200 participants representing 94 organisations from 42 countries, both in person and online on 9–10 May 2026. The Assembly followed the Cypriot Presidency’s high-level conference on “Inclusion of persons with disabilities: empowerment and support in a community for all”, underlining the importance of strengthening disability rights across Europe.
The European Disability Forum is an independent umbrella organisation of persons with disabilities that defends the interests of over 100 million persons with disabilities in Europe. It brings together representative organisations from across the continent and is run by persons with disabilities and their families, ensuring a strong and united voice in European policymaking.
The General Assembly provided an important opportunity to take stock of key developments in European disability policy. Delegates were updated on ongoing priorities, including the recently updates on the European Strategy on the European Disability Rights Strategy, where concerns were expressed over its lack of ambition. Discussions also covered major policy files such as the next EU budget, the Disability Card, passengers’ rights, and the proposed Regulation on the protection of adults, highlighting EDF’s central role in shaping EU policies and advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.
Following his re-election, Pietro Cirrincione said:
“I warmly thank the members of EDF. I look forward to continuing to work together constructively. It is crucial to bring together our diverse perspectives to achieve our common goal for the full respect of the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe.”
For Autism-Europe, EDF is a crucial platform to promote a rights-based approach to disability at EU level and to ensure that the perspectives of autistic people and their families are fully reflected in broader advocacy efforts. As a founding member of EDF, Autism-Europe has long contributed to building a strong, united disability movement and advancing inclusive policies across Europe.
We warmly congratulate Pietro on his re-election and look forward to continuing our collaboration within EDF and the wider disability movement to promote the full enjoyment of rights by persons with disabilities across Europe.