Development of a cooperation and scientific research network in the disability field and the increase in accessibility of persons with disabilities were among the topics approached at the informal meeting of ministers in charge with the disability field in the European Union states, reads a release of the Labour Ministry and Social Justice on Friday sent to AGERPRES.
The high level meeting was organised by the Ministry for European Affairs in France in collaboration with Romania, a state holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, and gathered around the same table decision making factors from the member states (ministers, ambassadors, the European Commission and representative organisations) to debate the situation of the more than 80 million Europeans with disabilities and the existing solutions to speed-up the social inclusion process in their case.
The head of the National Authority for People with Disabilities, Adrian Chiotan, and the Labour Minister's counselor, Mihai Tomescu, participated in the informal meeting of ministers in charge with the disabilities field in the EU states.
"The main topics discusses had to do with the development of a cooperation and scientific research network in the disability field and the increase in accessibility of persons with disabilities and the development of assistive technologies," reads the same release.
At the informal meeting in Paris they signed a joint statement, by which they reaffirmed the member states' commitment to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities, the strengthening of the information exchanges in what concerns research, strategies and policies in the disability field, as well as for removing all barriers the persons with disabilities encounter in society.
Beyond the common commitment, the statement in Paris also represents a will for strengthening cooperation in the disability field, in order to develop new work opportunities, education and social integration for persons with disabilities.
Moreover, the joint statement in Paris will be the foundation for the next European Strategy for Persons with Disabilities (post 2020), a strategic document to replace the European Strategy for Persons with Disabilities 2010-2020.