SOCIAL PROTECTION AND SOCIAL INCLUSION – Call to mainstream disability in the National Strategy Reports on Social Protection and Social Inclusion

The European Commission has launched a guidance note on the preparation of the National Strategy Reports (NSR) on Social Protection and Social Inclusion. These reports should establish a list of priorities and objectives of the European Union member States in the fields of social inclusion, pensions and healthcare and long-term care.  
The NSR will consist of four parts : 
  • Part 1 will be a common overview containing an assessment of the overall social situation, notably presenting current trends on poverty, social exclusion and inequality. It will also draw out high-level and summary messages across the policy area as a whole. It will conclude by presenting the overall strategic approach adopted by the Member State for the new cycle.
  • Parts 2 to 4 will start with a report on progress made to date with respect to the priorities identified in the 2006-2008 NSRs, to the country-specific challenges identified in the 2007 Joint Report and to the pertinent country-specific Recommendations given in the framework of the Growth and Jobs strategy and proceed to describe the thematic strategies covering each of the three specific policy strands.
The guidance note is very precise in the content, length and framework of the NSRs. The guidance note include some references to people with disabilities as a target group for employment and social inclusion strategies (within the Social Inclusion part) and in the long-term care as a target group to increase to respect their needs and preferences in the provision of this type of care. The guidance note is also accompanied by a note made by the European High level group on disability to ensure a comprehensive approach to disability in the NSRs.  
 
The NSR is a very important document since it will establish the priorities of the States on social inclusion, pensions, healthcare and long-term care until beginning of 2011.  
 
Members are encouraged to take contact with National authorities in charge of the production of the NSRs in order to ensure that disability is integrated in the national strategies. 
 
The deadline for Member States to present this document is 15th September.