Guide to the Amsterdam Treaty - Part 3

3. Analysis of the Campaign Work

B. Strategic coordinated campaign work
3.B.1. The IGC Coordination Group
3.B.2. IGC Update
3.B.3. Ad hoc briefings on individual issues

C. The Irish presidency: 1 July 1996 – 31 December 1996
3.C.1. A second report: "How can disabled persons in
the European Union achieve equal rights as citizens?"
3.C.2. Dublin EDF Board meeting

D. The Dutch presidency: 1 January 1997 – 31 July 1997
3.D.1. The EDF Founding General Meeting
3.D.2. Concerted action with key target groups
3.D.3. Direct action
3.D.4. Work with other structures and organisations.

It marked an important precedent – the first time that strategic, collective campaign work has taken place involving all EDF members over a sustained period.
The tenacity and commitment bodes well for future campaigns, and illustrates the richness and diversity of the NGOs involved, as well as our solidarity as active players in a civil rights movement.

The following chapter gives an overview of the campaign strategy and a chronological account of the work undertaken, illustrating the crucial lessons we have learned, which could be applied to future initiatives undertaken by the EDF.
It is not an exhaustive analysis; much further work was undertaken by many NGOs and individuals behind the scenes over a sustained period, but it emphasises the decisive elements of the campaign.

A. Origins of the campaign: up to 31 December 1995

A.1. The raison d'être

Calls for an amendment to the Treaty establishing the European Community (TEC) to incorporate a disability non-discrimination clause date back to pre-1993. In the context of the first European Day of Disabled Persons that year, there was a call by the European Disabled People's Parliament for a "general anti-discrimination provision" to be included in the Treaty, in a resolution adopted by the 518 disabled representatives present.

Thanks to opportunities presented during the EC action programmes promoting equality of opportunity for people with disabilities, particularly HELIOS I and II, the European NGOs and national disability umbrella structures became more politicised. The beginnings of a powerful European disability movement emerged, demanding a human rights/equal opportunities approach to recognition of disabled people as full citizens. Disabled people's organisations recognised that a pre-requisite for this was explicit reference in the EC Treaty to disability and non-discrimination.

This vision was also shared by the European Union institutions. For example, the European Commission's white paper on social policy (1994) stated that serious consideration should be given to the inclusion of a non-discrimination clause at the forthcoming review of the Treaties.

The first decisive action in the campaign at European level was a meeting between the EDF and Carlos Westendorp, the Chair of the Reflection Group. This group was set up under the Spanish presidency (July – December 1995) to prepare the intergovernmental conference, and was made up of representatives from each national government, the European Parliament and the European Commission. This fruitful exchange contributed towards an acknowledgement, in the Reflection Group report, that the Treaty should provide a "general clause prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of, amongst others, disability". Further, it should show special consideration for disabled people both by referring to them in the general non-discrimination clause in Article 6 and by adding a provision in one of the subsequent chapters. The report highlighted the need to examine carefully the economic consequences of Treaty revision in this respect. The Spanish National Council of Disabled People played a key role in facilitating the meeting and ensuring ongoing discussion under the Spanish presidency.

A.2. Invisible citizens – disabled people's status in the Treaty

No mention of disabilities appeared in the Treaties, and it could be said that in relation to the EU, disabled citizens were invisible citizens. This view led to the preparation, of the European Day of Disabled Persons (1995), of the "Invisible Citizens" report. The document, which marked an important step in the campaign, examines the status of disabled people in the Treaties from a legal perspective. Compiled by renowned human rights and disabled lawyers from throughout the Members States, working in cooperation with political experts, this report played a fundamental role in influencing opinions within the institutions, substantiating arguments in favour of a non-discrimination clause with sound legal analysis. The report moreover acted as a vital awareness-raising tool within disabled people's organisations. It rendered EU policy both accessible and relevant to disabled people across the Union, and put them on the centre stage. And it described in very tacit terms the discrimination encountered by disabled people on a daily basis. Finally, the report explored and justified detailed proposals for Treaty amendments.

A.3. The Italian presidency: 1 January 1996 – 31 July 1996

In early 1996 both the European Parliament and the European Commission published their respective final positions in relation to the IGC. Both reports expressed commitment to a reference within the Treaty to discrimination on grounds of disability. As the intergovernmental conference is a conference of Member States' governments, and the final outcome requires unanimity, the main targets for the campaign were national governments, and particularly those ministers and officials involved in the IGC negotiations.

The end of March 1996, marked the opening of the intergovernmental conference under the Italian presidency in Turin, Italy. The Italian National Council played a central role in the campaign at this stage, to ensure the disability dimension received sufficient focus and key players in the Italian government understood our agenda.

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