Supporting persons with disabilities : practical impact of EU action is limited; Special report 20, 2023

Around one quarter of EU citizens have a self-declared disability. To help member states provide support, the EU has adopted disability strategies. We assessed whether the Commission had taken effective action to support persons with disabilities. The impact of EU action in this area was limited and the key indicators had not significantly improved. The criteria for disability status differ across the member states and the statistical data are not comparable, which may undermine mutual recognition. The 2021-2030 Strategy sets objectives, but some issues remain unresolved and the monitoring system in place does not show how EU funding helps improving the lives of persons with disabilities. We recommend that the Commission obtain more comparable data, work towards mutual recognition of disability status and review EU legislation to assess its compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We also recommend that the EU institutions measure their progress towards including persons with disabilities in their workforce.