On the 6th of September 2023, following years of advocacy, a pilot project with eight EU countries, and extensive consultations with stakeholders, the European Commission put forward the long-awaited proposal for a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card that will facilitate persons with disabilities to access the right to free movement.
In November 2022, the Digital Services Act (DSA), which introduces new rules for online service providers, came into force. It significantly improves the mechanisms for the removal of illegal content and for the effective protection of users’ fundamental rights online, including the freedom of speech. It also creates a stronger public oversight of online platforms, in particular for platforms that reach more than 10% of the EU’s population.
The Commission presented the annual European Semester Spring Package on 24 May 2023. The Package includes a Communication, country reports and country-specific recommendations for all 27 Member States, in-depth reviews for 17 Member States, and a Commission proposal on guidelines for Member States’ employment policies in 2023.
The European Commission’s Directorate General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) published the final report of its Fifth European Summit which is an annual event attended by EU officials, member states ministers and education stakeholders. The report summarises the main topics discussed at this high-level event which focuses on key trends in education and training.
In December 2022, as part of its Equality package, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation aimed at harmonising at EU level the rules of private international law relating to parenthood. In line with the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child, the proposal is focused on the best interests and the rights of the child.
The Commission has been tackling the issue of rising energy prices for the past year. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its further weaponisation of energy resources, the situation on the energy market has worsened considerably.
The guidance covers both people eligible for temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive as well as those eligible for adequate protection under national law. Since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine and its civilians, over 7 million people have fled Ukraine and reached the EU. So far, only a relatively small number of those of working age have entered the EU labour market, though the number of people wanting to do so is expected to rise.
The report of the conference to celebrate the 2021 European Day of Persons with Disabilities has just been published. The online conference brought together more than 400 politicians, high-level experts, and disability advocates.
The European Commission’s 2022 European Semester Spring Package provides the Member States with support and guidance two years on from the first impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the midst of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Gender inequalities are at the heart of the care economy, directly linked to women’s position on the frontline of unpaid and low-paid work in the globalised care economy. The European Commission published a study exploring the EU care economy, the gendered nature of care work and its continued reliance on unpaid or low-paid work of women.
Chantal Bruno, the COFACE Disability co-president, was interviewed by the CFHE (Conseil Français des Personnes Handicapées pour les affaires Européennes et internationales) to discuss our work for the rights of children and young people with disabilities in Europe.
On the first anniversary of the EU’s Child Rights Strategy, COFACE alongside 13 organisations calls to put child rights at the heart of EU policies and apply the Strategy responding to the crisis in Ukraine to support all children and their families.
Violence against women and domestic violence are pervasive throughout the EU and are estimated to affect 1 in 3 women in the EU. On International Day of Women’s Rights, March 8th 2022, the European Commission presented EU-wide rules to combat violence against women and domestic violence.
The European Commission published a report examining how long-term poverty and social exclusion may affect how people consider themselves and their future, and how they act in relation to it.
