FIMITIC

On the 3 December, the symbolic date for persons with disabilities, the EU regulation on the rights of rail passengers entered into application. This regulation includes a chapter on the specific rights of persons with reduced mobility, thus guaranteeing important rights such as the right to transport, the right assistance by trained personnel, information in accessible formats and full compensation in the event of damaged mobility equipment.

 In the light of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the European Disability Forum (EDF) joins the struggle against all forms of gender violence, to which thousands of women in the European Union and worldwide fall victim. All forms of sterilization without full and informed consent must be seen as violence.

Stockholm, October 19, 2009. The European Disability Forum, the voice of 65 million European citizens with disabilities, met in the Swedish capital to adopt the proposal for the European Disability Pact. “This policy instrument ensures real mainstreaming of disability in the European Union by promoting the rights of persons with disabilities and by developing a strong agenda engaging both the EU institutions and Member States” announced Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the organisation.

The manifesto calls on politicians to address disability and to assure equal access for disabled voters

Brussels, 3 December 2008 – European Disability Forum (EDF) made public its 2009 European Election Manifesto “Nothing about Disabled People, Without Disabled People” today, the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

During the recent EDF Board meeting in the frame of the French EU-Presidency in Paris, France, the following Statement on Economic Crisis and Disabled People was launched:

The new EU regulation enabling disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility to enjoy equal opportunities to travel by plane entered into force on 26 July 2008.

The new rules that will give disabled persons and elderly persons access to air transport comparable to that enjoyed by all other passengers flying to or from, or passing in transit though, airports in the European Union, with no discrimination and at no additional cost.

EDF has fought several years for this much needed legislation, and contributed to its preparation, adoption, and implementation.

On behalf of FIMITIC Honorary President Marija Stiglic participated in the Slovenia based

1. Second Ministerial Disability Conference in the frame of the Slovenian EU Presidency entitled "Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - From Words to Reality?" on May 22-23, 2008 in Kranjska Gora
2. EDF Board meeting on May 24, 2008 in Ljubljana
3. EDF General Assembly on May 24-25, 2008 in Ljubljana

Brussels, March 31 to April 1, 2008

 On the 31^st of March to the 1^st of April, EDF organised together with the European Commission a workshop for EDF members on the regulation 1107/2006 on the rights of persons with disabilities when travelling by air. The aim of the workshop was to empower those representatives from the disability movement to take on an active role in the implementation of the regulation at national, regional and local level, and more specifically in the setting up and delivery of the training to airport and airline staff on disability equality and disability awareness, in defining the quality standards for assistance provision and in designing the points of arrival at an airport.