The European Parliament adopted a position on affordable housing.
This document is important because people with intellectual disabilities struggle to find housing in Europe.
- In 27 countries few or no adults with intellectual disabilities live in their own place.
- In 17 countries most adults with intellectual disabilities live with their families.
“Accessible housing is a prerequisite for full social participation of persons with disabilities,” the European Parliament says.
There is a need to “ensure both the availability and maintenance of accessible housing, as well as the provision of adequate community-based support services adapted to individuals’ functional and cognitive abilities, including supported living arrangements;”
The European Parliaments asks EU countries “to ensure the provision of comprehensive, accessible and systemic community-based services for persons with disabilities.”
“Support services provided at the place of residence are essential to enable independent living and social inclusion and prevent persons with disabilities from being forced to seek assistance through institutionalisation.”
These recommendations need to guide EU actions on housing:
- Commitments of EU Countries to build housing and make sure support accessible, also to deinstitutionalise and prevent institutionalisation.
- Make sure the next EU budget provides money to housing and support for inclusion.
New position on the EU Semester
The EU Semester is a procedure to monitor if EU countries work to achieve common goals.
This new position of the European Parliament is important because it is on what the EU should monitor and recommend on employment and social priorities.
Regarding employment, the European Parliament asks the European Commission to:
- “address the disability employment gap through the European Semester, including in the country-specific recommendations”,
- “update the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities 2021-2030 in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, with new flagship initiatives, including a European disability employment and skills guarantee”.
The European employment and skills Guarantee is an ask from the European Disability Forum.
On deinstitutionalisation, the European Parliament asks the Commission to:
- “put forward an action plan on deinstitutionalisation covering all groups still living in institutions, including children, persons with disabilities, people with mental health issues and people experiencing homelessness”.
- monitor progress on deinstitutionalisation through the EU Semester
It also asks EU countries to “make full use of ESF+ and other EU and national funds to finalise this process, develop community-based services and invest in prevention.”