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The Academic Network of European Disability Experts (ANED)

EU law and policy - Developments in disability policies relevant to the EU2020 goals

Participants ANED annual meeting

ANED Annual meeting 11 November 2011, Brussels

Professor Steen Bengtsson (ANED country expert Denmark) gave an overview of evidence of national policy trends and challenges over time.

In terms of national employment policy, prior to 1990 there was mass unemployment for Danish people with disabilities, and little active state support. Substantial developments took place during the 1990s, including permanent wage support, ‘flex’ jobs, the law on disabled persons in employment, personal assistant and an ice breaker scheme.  

Danish welfare policy was marked by a shift from pensions to services for people with disabilities. The period 1992-1998 saw a considerable reduction in the award of disability pensions (from 28,000 to 14,000 a year). Expenditure on services for people with disabilities has doubled each decade since 1990. Another marked trend is the stead growth in the proportion of disability pensions awarded on the basis of  psychiatric illness, now more than 50 per cent. Since 2003 all people with disabilities have to try rehabilitation, regardless of impairment. This is a rather drastic policy change. There is not yet any research that shows the effect of this change.

These policies initially produced a growth in disabled people’s employment but this has fallen in recent years. Nevertheless, the crisis has not hit disabled people more than non-disabled people. This is partly because of the wage support system, and greater acceptance of disabled colleagues in the workplace. It may also reflect a methodological problem, as respondents’ definition of disability varies with the unemployment rate.

Ms. Eleni Strati (ANED expert Greece) discussed trends in disability policy in Greece 2008‐2011.

Social protection systems were already quite weak before the onset of the crisis in 2009. Due to cuts in social expenditure, social support mechanisms are falling short of needs, at a time when they have become even more necessary for disabled people to cope.

Total social expenditure, including pensions, benefits, health and social care, was 21% of GDP in 2008. The National Budget in 2010 applied 8.7% decrease in expenditure for health provisions and social inclusion (excluding pensions). The National Budget in 2011 imposed cuts of up to 50% in aids provision and community‐based services and disability pensions have been cut.

In 2002, 84% of the disabled population were economically inactive, compared with 58% of the general population; 8.9% of disabled people wereunemployed compared to 9.6% of the general population. The unemployment rate showed a downward trend from 8.1% to 7.2% in 2007‐2008. However, from 2009 it has been climbing sharply, up to 16.3% in the second quarter 2011, compared with 11.8 % in 2010.

In 2007,9% of all disabled children attended special education but 90% completed only primary education. It is estimated that 180,000 children with disability or special education needs are excluded from education. The National Reform Program 2011 seeks to restructure special education and achieve target of reducing early school leavers to under 10%.

In conclusion, current circumstances endanger disabled people’s capacity to cope and to meet needs on a daily basis. More ’socially fair‘ measures should take into account increased cost of living due to disability, support needs, and disabling barriers that affect access to education and employment.

Ms. Erzsebet Foldesi (European Disability Forum - EDF) presented the results from the EDF observatory on the impact of the economic crisis.

EDF is an independent NGO, the umbrella organisation of persons with disabilities in Europe. The EDF asked its member organizations in EU states to monitor the crisis as it affected disabled people’s lives. In 2011 EDF collected national examples of austerity measures through an on‐line questionnaire. They found that austerity measures have negative effects on economical participation, social participation and freedom of movement, in contradiction with the Europe 2020 strategy.

Unemployment rates have increased, as they have for non‐disabled persons. However, the examples collected suggested that disabled people at risk of unemployment are more severely affected because they start from more precarious positions, with more barriers in accessing alternative sources of income or in finding a new job. The result is an increase in poverty amongst people with disabilities.

Austerity measures have led to increased restrictions on independent living in the community, such as a reduction in support services and public services  (including education and employment related services). In countries such as Greece, Hungary and Poland the transition from institutional to community‐based form of care has been interrupted.

The examples identified across EU states included: reassessment of eligibility for disability status; cuts in disability allowances and benefits; higher taxes, lower income, increased poverty; reductions in local authority budgets; review of funding resources for the activities of DPOs; austerity measures without consultation with DPOs; reduced economic, social and political participation; negative stereotypes of disabled persons; increased social exclusion.

Budget cuts affecting the rights of persons with disabilities might seem to have economic benefitsin the short term but will not lead to a long term solution for society and will have severe consequences in the long run, endangering achievement of national targets for EU 2020. Austerity measures must respect the rights of disabled persons laid down in the UN Convention.

Presentation Professor Steen Bengtsson:


Powerpoint (PDF 110 kB)
Handout (PDF 52 kB)

Presentation Ms Eleni Strati:


Powerpoint (PDF 487 kB)
Handout (PDF 184 kB)

Presentation Ms. Erzsebet Foldesi:


Powerpoint (PDF 357 kB)
Handout (PDF 234 kB)