CoESS and UNI Europa adopt Joint Statement on the Integration of People with Disabilities

With the statement, both Social Partners commit to support the European Commission in different calls to action to Member States and with the implementation of its strategy – e.g. regarding the provision of guidance to public buyers on how to buy accessible under the EU Public Procurement Directives.

In the statement, CoESS and UNI Europa underline that people with disabilities must benefit from qualitative working conditions and equal rights, fully in line with national and EU law, such as the EU Employment Equality Directive 2000/78. People with disabilities must not suffer from any form of discrimination and have equal access to the workplace and training.

The Social Partners highlight that a number of job opportunities exist in the private security services due to digitalisation and new services demand, e.g. in remote monitoring, and call on Public Employment Services to have a Strategy in place that leverages such opportunities for a better integration of people with disabilities in the labour market, including in private security.

Furthermore, the Social Partners commit to promote best practices in integration, training and workplace accessibility in the EU Sectoral Social Dialogue, and to discuss future job opportunities – also as part of the EU-funded Social Partner Project “INTEL – Skills Intelligence for the Private Security Services”. Notably, the Social Partners will assess relevant Standards such as EN 50518:2019 for Monitoring and Alarm Receiving Centers to ensure their accessibility for people with disabilities.

The full statement is available here.