European Disability Expertise II

EDE II

BACKGROUND

The European Disability Expertise (EDE) started in July 2020 as the successor to the Academic Network of European Disability Experts (ANED, December 2007 - May 2019). It is managed by the Human European Consultancy and is now in its third contract period (March 2024 – February 2025). Under this contract, as with ANED, data on disability across the EU will be assessed to support EU policy-making. Magdi Birtha, Eszter Zolyomi and Felix Gross-Wohlgemuth are part of the central team of senior experts in the EDE network and are responsible for the European Semester task and the development of statistical reports, linked to the annual thematic and ad-hoc reports.

AIMS

The general purpose of the European Disability Expertise (EDE) project is to collect, analyse and provide independent and scientific data and information relating to national disability policies and legislation and their relationship to policy and legislation at EU level, as well as on the situation of persons with disabilities. The information and data collected is intended to support the European Commission by:

providing information relevant to EU-level disability policies and activities (e.g. for the European Semester Cycle);
feeding policy and legal information useful for the preparation of future disability policies and for mainstreaming disability in forthcoming initiatives under the Commission;
raising awareness of disability issues;
contributing to an informed dialogue with organisations of persons with disabilities and with EU Member States; and
contributing to the legal reporting obligations arising from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).

ACTIVITIES/MILESTONES

Sub-task 1.1: Statistics and data reports

The thematic and ad-hoc policy analysis carried out under EDE will be complemented with statistical data, if available. Statistical reports will be published along with the narrative reports.

Sub-task 1.2: Country reports and synthesis report for input in the European Semester process

The country fiches of the 27 Member States aim to provide the Commission with input from a disability perspective into the European Semester process each year, starting from the adoption of the Annual Growth Survey (AGS) and tracking submissions from the Member States in the following spring. A synthesis report will be developed throughout the task cycle to illustrate the main developments and challenges for persons with disabilities in the EU and country-specific challenges and developments, as well as countries’ policy responses with consideration of the country-specific recommendations will be summarised to assess the suitability and effect of policies.

The European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research supports the Sustainable Development Goals