CECOP, the European Confederation of Industrial and Service Cooperatives, welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback to the European Commission on Enhancing the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities up to 2030 (the Strategy).

 

The Strategy has been an essential guide and an effective political framework for coordinated EU action to support the rights, autonomy and participation of persons with disabilities. CECOP recognises that progress has been made in the past five years but reiterates the need to update the Strategy and strengthen the impact of EU action in light of the changing political context and new societal challenges.

 

In fact, since the adoption of the Strategy in 2021, the disability employment gap has increased and, in 2024, almost one third of persons with disabilities was at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Furthermore, persons with disabilities still face considerable barriers to participation and inequalities in all areas of life, especially with regard to participation in employment, living independently, social protection, and accessing care services.
Cooperatives are at the forefront of addressing these challenges with their locally anchored, human-centred, community-based approach. The cooperative model is characterised by strong social innovation, allowing flexibility and adaptability to various contexts and realities. Worker-owned cooperatives give the possibility to workers to become co-owners, including to groups that are often underrepresented in the management of enterprises, such as persons with disabilities, by giving them the opportunity to have a direct say in the operation of the enterprise.

 

The communication on Enhancing the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities must set new ambitious, tangible and time-bound actions to be undertaken until 2030 and take into account the UNCRPD. To this end, CECOP calls on the European Commission to consider the following recommendations in preparing the communication regarding the Strategy:


  1. Recognise the impact of cooperatives as providers of quality services for persons with disabilities
  2. Recognise the impact of cooperatives as providers of quality employment opportunities for persons with disabilities
  3. Improve access to funding for cooperatives providing services and employment opportunities for persons with disabilities
  4. Foster more comprehensive partnerships with public authorities
  5. Promote quality employment for professionals delivering care and support
  6. Involve cooperative organisations in policy design and monitoring
  7. Ensure synergies with other EU initiatives


Access the full consultation here.