FRA joins EU disability discussions

14 May 2026


English
Press release
0
Secondary theme
Equality

People with disabilities

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    18
    November
    2021
    This report examines the EU’s main criminal law instrument in the field of counter-terrorism, Directive (EU) 2017/541. Specifically, it considers how the directive engages issues of fundamental rights, affecting individuals, groups and society as a whole.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    11
    October
    2021
    This report proposes a framework for becoming, and functioning as, a ‘human rights city’ in the EU. It includes ‘foundations’, ‘structures’ and ‘tools’ for mayors, local administrations and grassroots organisations to reinforce fundamental rights locally. It is based on existing good practice and expert input by representatives of human rights cities in the EU, academic experts, international organisations and city networks.
  • Handbook / Guide / Manual
    22
    June
    2016
    Access to justice is an important element of the rule of law. It enables individuals to protect themselves against infringements of their rights, to remedy civil wrongs, to hold executive power accountable and to defend themselves in criminal proceedings. This handbook summarises the key European legal principles in the area of access to justice, focusing on civil and criminal law.
  • Page
    The Criminal Detention Database 2015-2022 combines in one place information on detention conditions in all 27 EU Member States as well as the United Kingdom.

Highlights

  • Report / Paper / Summary
    4
    December
    2018
    The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities commits both the EU and all of its Member States to realising the right of persons with disabilities to live independently in the community – which includes achieving deinstitutionalisation for those residing in institutional settings. But much remains to be done to make this a reality in practice. This report presents the main insights gained during fieldwork on the drivers of and barriers to deinstitutionalisation. Focusing on the local level, it gives voice to a diverse set of actors – most importantly, to people with disabilities themselves.
  • Report / Paper / Summary
    2
    December
    2015
    Children with disabilities face significant barriers to enjoying their fundamental rights. They are often excluded from society, sometimes living in facilities far from their families. They are also denied access to basic services, such as health care and education, and endure stigma and discrimination, as well as sexual, physical and psychological violence. FRA scrutinised the important but underreported issue of violence against children with disabilities, carrying out desk research and conducting interviews with knowledgeable stakeholders. This report presents the results of that research.
  • Infographic
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ten years after the UN’s Disability Convention entered into force, 2018 saw it continue
    to drive advances in disability rights across the EU.
  • Page
    The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is the first binding international human rights instrument to specifically address disability. Its aim is to “promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity”.
    Products
    Our recent report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This video explains the key issues as well as the actions needed to ensure that a person’s need for care and support should never come at the expense of their safety and dignity.
    Protecting persons with disabilities from violence in institutions requires legal guarantees, empowered monitoring, accessible justice and cultural change. All of these actions should be driven by the lived experience of persons with disabilities.
    27
    November
    2025
    This report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Based on research across all EU Member States and FRA observer candidate countries, the report calls for better protection, stronger prevention of violence, and clear accountability. It urges the EU and its Member States to implement their obligations around equality and fundamental rights.
    30
    October
    2025
    This factsheet summarises key Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) cases on reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Building on Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the courts address employment, physical accessibility, and education. In collaboration, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and the European Court of Human Rights produced this short publication. It is designed to aid lawyers and policymakers in understanding and applying the jurisprudence in this area.
    29
    May
    2024
    Ahead of the EU elections, this report explores the political participation of people with disabilities. Although some Member States removed restrictions on the right to vote and to stand for elections, barriers still exist. This report is an update of new developments following FRA’s last report published in 2014. It sets out ways forward to ensure people with disabilities have equal opportunities, in line with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
    FRA in close cooperation with the European Commission and the Academic Network of European Disability Experts (ANED), developed 28 human rights indicators to assess the political participation of persons with disabilities in the EU.
    20
    March
    2023
    This guide helps independent national monitoring frameworks to fulfil their monitoring responsibility set out in Article 33 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). It focuses on the use of indicators. It does not deal with aspects such as compliance with the Paris Principles or the efficiency of complaints mechanisms. Its objective is to support national monitoring frameworks in designing or improving indicators for assessing progress of CRPD implementation at national level.
    There are many reasons why adults may find themselves in a situation of vulnerability – because of their age, health or disability. Vulnerable people are at greater risk of unfair treatment, exploitation or abuse. And cross-border settings can lead to additional obstacles. It’s time to address these challenges and identify the needs of vulnerable adults so everyone can enjoy their fundamental rights.
    Fundamental Rights Report 2019: Ten years after the UN’s Disability Convention entered into force, 2018 saw it continue
    to drive advances in disability rights across the EU.
    6
    June
    2019
    How much progress can we expect in a decade? Various rights-related instruments had been in place for 10 years in 2018, prompting both sobering and encouraging reflection on this question.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    26
    February
    2019
    The right to vote is at the heart of what it means to live in a democratic society. However, legislation sets out a number of restrictions on this right. With a view to the European Parliament elections in 2019, this paper presents developments in the situation of the right to vote for people deprived of legal capacity in the EU.
    4
    December
    2018
    The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities commits both the EU and all of its Member States to realising the right of persons with disabilities to live independently in the community – which includes achieving deinstitutionalisation for those residing in institutional settings. But much remains to be done to make this a reality in practice. This report presents the main insights gained during fieldwork on the drivers of and barriers to deinstitutionalisation. Focusing on the local level, it gives voice to a diverse set of actors – most importantly, to people with disabilities themselves.
    FRA’s latest report explores what enables and what hinders the drive towards independent community living for people with disabilities.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    4
    December
    2018
    The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
    (FRA) wanted to contribute to making steps to implement
    deinstitutionalisation more effective, by capturing
    concrete evidence of what is and what is
    not working on the ground. To do this, the agency
    conducted extensive fieldwork research in five EU
    Member States at different stages of the deinstitutionalisation
    process.
    This summary report presents the key findings of
    that fieldwork and the FRA opinions stemming from
    them.
    The EU and all its Member States are legally bound to the UN’s Disability Convention. They have a duty to ensure people with disabilities can live independently in the community rather than in institutions.
    Michael O’Flaherty talks about empowering people with disabilities to be full and independent members of the community.
    6
    June
    2018
    The year 2017 brought both progress and setbacks in terms of rights protection. The European Pillar of Social Rights marked an important move towards a more ‘social Europe’. But, as experiences with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights underscore, agreement on a text is merely a first step. Even in its eighth year as the EU’s binding bill of rights, the Charter’s potential was not fully exploited, highlighting the need to more actively promote its use.
    Report / Paper / Summary
    25
    May
    2018
    EU Member States, and the EU itself have ratified
    the CRPD, committing themselves to achieving independent
    living for persons with disabilities. Doing so
    requires a meaningful and sustainable shift from institutional
    to community-based living arrangements. This
    publication summarises the findings from the three
    FRA reports focusing on different aspects of deinstitutionalisation.
    17
    May
    2018
    Civil society organisations in the European Union play a crucial role in promoting fundamental
    rights, but it has become harder for them do so – due to both legal and practical restrictions.
    This summary outlines the main
    findings and FRA’s opinions on the different
    types and patterns of challenges faced by civil society
    organisations across the EU,
    21
    March
    2018
    New language versions: Estonian, Maltese, Danish, Latvian
    23 March 2022
    European non-discrimination law, as constituted in particular by the EU non-discrimination directives, and Article 14 of and Protocol 12 to the European Convention on Human Rights, prohibits discrimination across a range of contexts and grounds. This handbook examines European non-discrimination law stemming from these two sources as complementary systems, drawing on them interchangeably to the extent that they overlap, while highlighting differences where these exist.
    Primary theme
    Equality

    Equality, non-discrimination and racism

    Equality is a core value of the EU. You have the right to fair treatment regardless of who you are, what you believe, or how you chose to live.

    We carry out research and share expertise to help fight discrimination, inequality and racism in all its forms.

    Highlights

    • Report / Paper / Summary
      18
      November
      2021
      This report examines the EU’s main criminal law instrument in the field of counter-terrorism, Directive (EU) 2017/541. Specifically, it considers how the directive engages issues of fundamental rights, affecting individuals, groups and society as a whole.
    • Report / Paper / Summary
      11
      October
      2021
      This report proposes a framework for becoming, and functioning as, a ‘human rights city’ in the EU. It includes ‘foundations’, ‘structures’ and ‘tools’ for mayors, local administrations and grassroots organisations to reinforce fundamental rights locally. It is based on existing good practice and expert input by representatives of human rights cities in the EU, academic experts, international organisations and city networks.
    • Handbook / Guide / Manual
      22
      June
      2016
      Access to justice is an important element of the rule of law. It enables individuals to protect themselves against infringements of their rights, to remedy civil wrongs, to hold executive power accountable and to defend themselves in criminal proceedings. This handbook summarises the key European legal principles in the area of access to justice, focusing on civil and criminal law.
    • Page
      The Criminal Detention Database 2015-2022 combines in one place information on detention conditions in all 27 EU Member States as well as the United Kingdom.

    Highlights

    • Periodic updates / Series
      16
      June
      2021
      This Coronavirus Bulletin focuses on equitable access to vaccines. It outlines the situation in the 27 EU Member States from 1 March to 30 April 2021. The bulletin looks at two main areas: planning and prioritisation in deploying Covid-19 vaccinations and their rollout in the countries. It covers information and communication campaigns, as well as (pre)registration channels for and the administration of vaccinations.
    • Opinion / Position Paper
      30
      April
      2021
      This opinion illustrates the extent and nature of lived experiences of inequality and discrimination across the EU. It does so with reference to the grounds of discrimination and areas of life covered by the racial and employment equality directives, as well as in relation to the grounds and areas covered by the proposed Equal Treatment Directive.
    • Report / Paper / Summary
      28
      November
      2018
      Almost twenty years after adoption of EU laws forbidding discrimination, people of African descent in the EU face widespread and entrenched prejudice and exclusion. This report outlines selected results from FRA’s second large-scale EU-wide survey on migrants and minorities (EU-MIDIS II) carried out in 2016. It examines the experiences of almost 6,000 people of African descent in 12 EU Member States.
    • Report / Paper / Summary
      6
      December
      2017
      Seventeen years after adoption of EU laws that forbid discrimination, immigrants, descendants of immigrants, and minority ethnic groups continue to face widespread discrimination across the EU and in all areas of life – most often when seeking employment. For many, discrimination is a recurring experience. This is just one of the findings of FRA’s second European Union Minorities and Discrimination Survey (EU-MIDIS II), which collected information from over 25,500 respondents with different ethnic minority and immigrant backgrounds across all 28 EU Member States.
      Products
      Many women victims of gender-based violence stay silent and do not speak out about their experiences. This must change. Know the facts, break the silence and bring justice to victims. The results from the EU gender-based violence survey represent women aged 18 to 74 from across the EU.
      3
      March
      2026
      Violence against women remains widespread in the European Union (EU). This joint report by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) and the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) presents detailed findings from the EU gender-based violence survey. It offers in-depth analysis of the scale, nature and drivers of violence and exposes the structural gender inequality. Building on the 2024 publication, EU gender-based violence survey – Key results, and following up on FRA’s 2014 report, Violence against women: an EU-wide survey, this report tracks trends over the last decade across the EU. Eurostat, FRA, and EIGE jointly conducted the survey. It is based on over 100,000 interviews covering all 27 EU Member States.
      24
      February
      2026
      The start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022 shocked the global community and gave rise to a
      series of urgent fundamental rights challenges across Europe. While much attention has focused on the scale of devastation and its wider impact on all Ukrainians, the war has also inflicted profound personal harm. This report sheds light on the violence, sexual harassment and exploitation experienced by women displaced from Ukraine. Drawing on a survey and in-depth interviews with women from Ukraine, the report documents the prevalence, forms and patterns of gender-based violence and sets out practical measures to improve safety, access to justice and support.
      27
      January
      2026
      This report looks at antisemitism in the EU, focusing on what can be done to address gaps in recording and inconsistencies in data collection. It highlights existing tools and guidance for Member States to improve their recording systems. The analysis is based on official administrative data and information from publicly available sources across EU Member States, as well as Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia. Detailed country overviews are available for all countries covered. Antisemitism has been monitored by FRA since 2004. This report builds on the 2024 publication, ‘Jewish People’s Experiences and Perceptions of Antisemitism’.
      The Fundamental Rights Report 2025 provides a comprehensive overview of the state of fundamental rights in the European Union, highlighting major developments and trends in 2024. This video provides an insight into the issues covered by this year’s report.
      Our recent report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This video explains the key issues as well as the actions needed to ensure that a person’s need for care and support should never come at the expense of their safety and dignity.
      27
      November
      2025
      This report looks at the breadth and depth of violence and neglect faced by people with disabilities living in institutions. It highlights the shortcomings by EU Member States in preventing violence and protecting those who are at a higher risk of experiencing it, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Based on research across all EU Member States and FRA observer candidate countries, the report calls for better protection, stronger prevention of violence, and clear accountability. It urges the EU and its Member States to implement their obligations around equality and fundamental rights.
      13
      November
      2025
      FRA analysed 31 digital tools and systems across seven EU Member States, exploring potential positive and negative effects on victims, claimants and defendants. By identifying risks early, investing in skills and training, and embedding protections from the outset, policymakers and practitioners can build effective and inclusive justice systems. This report provides practical suggestions to help ensure that digitalised justice systems are accessible and deliver fair outcomes for all.
      The database provides up-to-date information on hate crime, incitement to violence and hatred, harassment, hate speech and discrimination against Muslims in the EU, Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. Data for the United Kingdom exists up to 2019.
      30
      October
      2025
      This factsheet summarises key Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) cases on reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. Building on Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), the courts address employment, physical accessibility, and education. In collaboration, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights and the European Court of Human Rights produced this short publication. It is designed to aid lawyers and policymakers in understanding and applying the jurisprudence in this area.
      Roma and Travellers in the EU have more jobs and better housing than before, but poverty, discrimination and segregation remain widespread, shows a new survey from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA).
      2
      October
      2025
      This report examines the fundamental rights and living conditions of Roma and Travellers across 10 EU Member States and
      3 accession countries. The survey evaluates progress towards the EU Roma strategic framework’s 2030 objectives, covering areas such as discrimination, poverty, education, employment, health, and housing.
      FRA’s 2024 survey on Roma and Travellers in Albania, Bulgaria, Czechia, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain collected information from 10,126 respondents living in private households who self-identify as Roma or Traveller, are 16 or older and have lived in the survey countries for at least the 12 months before the survey.
      Challenging prejudice and stereotypes is not easy. But everything changes when we choose to truly see people for who they are. We can look beyond someone’s disability or skin colour – and see a person with their own dreams and aspirations. We can choose to understand, not assume. To connect, not exclude. So, pause. Look again. What do you choose to see?
      17
      September
      2025
      This report highlights the discrimination, harassment, violence, and non-consensual medical interventions faced by intersex people across 30 European countries, based on responses from nearly 2,000 participants in FRA’s 2023 EU LGBTIQ Survey III. It reveals that many intersex individuals also identify as trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and have varied sexual orientations, which further compounds their experiences of discrimination. The report aims to support the development of laws and policies that promote the inclusion and dignity of intersex people.
      10
      June
      2025
      This publication is an excerpt from the Fundamental Rights Report 2025, the annual report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). It presents selected critical developments in fundamental rights in 2024, as well as the key findings and FRA opinions from the report’s chapters.
      10
      June
      2025
      The Fundamental Rights Report 2025 is the annual report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). It provides an overview of the state of fundamental rights in the EU and highlights selected critical developments and trends in 2024. The report covers issues such as inclusive elections, gender-based violence, and the implementation of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. It presents FRA’s opinions on these developments, setting out the actions that the EU and Member States should take. This annual publication is a valuable resource for those seeking to stay informed about the EU’s shifting landscape of fundamental rights.
      20
      March
      2025
      In recent years, the EU has taken steps to improve child protection, yet some Member States do not have an integrated approach. FRA first produced an overview of child protection systems in the EU in 2014, and an update in 2023. The data is published in FRA’s ‘Mapping of Child Protection Systems in the EU – Update 2023’. This report completements the 2023 update with comparative analysis and provides greater detail on children in vulnerable situations, care and the participation of children in matters affecting them. It also offers guidance on creating comprehensive frameworks that ensure that children’s rights are respected.
      30
      January
      2025
      This technical report presents in detail the stages of the survey implementation and the relevant information needed to assess the quality and reliability of the data.
      Summary
      On 7 May, FRA attended the Cypriot Presidency High-Level Conference on Disability. The focus was on the inclusion of people with disabilities through supported decision-making.
      Published At
      2026-05-13T19:18:29
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