News

The work of the Disability Intergroup will continue

2019. 12. 20.

Briefing by MEP Ádám Kósa

Members of the European Parliament set up intergroups on specific topics every five years in December, following the EU elections. In the new legislative term, the Disability Intergroup was once again re-established at the initiative of Fidesz MEP Ádám Kósa.

On the formation of the intergroup MEP Kósa emphasized: “All my fellow Members respect disability and try to contribute to the success of the intergroup, even if we do not agree in other political debates. They all know that we need everybody on board in the work for the protection of the rights of people with disabilities and making their everyday life easier “.

The Disability Intergroup is the oldest intergroup in the European Parliament_ it was established in 1980.  In 2009, first time in its history, Ádám Kósa was elected as the first MEP with disability to chair it. Over the last ten years, as chair and later co-chair of the Intergroup, Kósa has organized dozens of events in the European Parliament. He is convinced that disability is not a right-, or a left-wing issue, and different political groups support him in this battle.

Background: The European Parliament is home to 751 MEPs from 28 countries, so it is essential that issues that go beyond the political lines of the its 8 political groups be formed in semi-official groups. The purpose of the Disability Intergroup is to closely coordinate the work of the representatives of the various political groups in the field of disability. The Conference of Presidents shall decide on the re-establishment of the intergroups after a secret ballot has been designated by each political group naming those intergroups which the majority of their members wish to support. An intergroup can be formed (or, if it has existed in the past, re-formed) if at least three political groups support it. The European People’s Party, the Socialist and Democrats and the Greens/EFA groups supported the establishment of the Disability Intergroup.