Commission Decision of 27 October 2021 setting up the group of experts ‘Disability Platform’ 2021/C 457 I/01

The group of experts on disability entitled the Disability Platform (‘the Platform’) is set up.

The Platform’s tasks shall be to: (a) support the implementation of the Disability Rights Strategy as well as national disability strategies, plans or policies; (b) facilitate cooperation between the Commission and the Member States for matters relating to the implementation of the Convention; (c) assist the Commission in the preparation of policy initiatives or legislative proposals in the field of disability; (d) establish cooperation and coordination between the Commission and the Member States and stakeholders on questions relating to the implementation of Union legislation, programmes and policies in the field of disability; (e) bring about an exchange of experience and good practice in the field of disability.

The Commission may consult the Platform on any matter relating to the development of Union policies and legislation implementing the Disability Rights Strategy and the Convention.

1 Members shall be Member States’ authorities designated as focal points for the implementation of the Convention, as well as EU-level civil society organisations representing persons with disabilities, other relevant civil society organisations, as well as providers of services for persons with disabilities.

2 Members shall nominate their representatives (one high-level representative and one alternate representative each) and shall be responsible for ensuring that their representatives provide a high level of expertise.

3 Member organisations which are no longer capable of contributing effectively to the Platform’s deliberations, which, in the opinion of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (‘DG EMPL’), do not comply with the conditions set out in Article 339 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union or which resign, shall no longer be invited to participate in any meetings of the Platform and may be replaced for the remainder of their term of office.

1 Member States’ authorities shall be appointed by direct invitation.

2 The selection of the Platform’s member organisations referred to in Article 4.1 shall be carried out via a public call for applications, to be published on the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities (‘the Register of expert groups’). In addition, the call for applications may be published through other means, including on dedicated websites . The call for applications shall clearly outline the selection criteria, including the required expertise and the interests to be represented in relation to the work to be performed, and indicate the duration of the term of office. The minimum deadline for applications shall be four weeks.

3 Member organisations shall be appointed by the Director-General of DG EMPL from applicants with competence in the areas referred to in Article 2 and Article 3, and who have responded to the call for applications. They shall remain in office until replaced or until the end of their term of office. Their term of office may be renewed.

4 Registration in the Transparency Register is required in order for organisations to be appointed as members.

The Platform shall be chaired by a representative of DG EMPL.

1 The Platform shall act at the request of DG EMPL, in compliance with the horizontal rules .

2 Meetings of the Platform shall, in principle, be held on Commission premises or online.

3 DG EMPL shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials from other departments with an interest in the proceedings may be invited to attend the meetings of the Platform and its sub-groups.

4 In agreement with DG EMPL, the Platform may, by simple majority of its members, decide that deliberations shall be public.

5 Minutes on the discussion on each point on the agenda and on the opinions delivered by the Platform shall be meaningful and complete. Minutes shall be drafted by the secretariat under the responsibility of the Chair.

6 The Platform shall adopt its opinions, recommendations or reports by consensus. In the event of a vote, the outcome of the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the members. Members who have voted against or abstained shall have the right to have a document summarising the reasons for their position annexed to the opinions, recommendations or reports.

1 DG EMPL may set up sub-groups for the purpose of examining specific questions on the basis of terms of reference defined by DG EMPL. Sub-groups shall operate in compliance with the horizontal rules and shall report to the Platform. They shall be dissolved as soon as their mandate is fulfilled.

2 The members of sub-groups that are not members of the Platform shall be selected via a public call for applications, in compliance with Article 5 and the horizontal rules .

DG EMPL may invite experts with specific expertise with respect to a subject matter on the agenda to take part in the work of the Platform or its sub-groups on an ad hoc basis.

1 Individuals acting in a personal capacity, civil society organisations and public entities other than Member States’ authorities, including from candidate countries and from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway may be granted an observer status, in compliance with the horizontal rules, by direct invitation.

2 Organisations and public entities appointed as observers shall nominate their representatives.

3 Observers and their representatives may be permitted by the Chair to take part in the discussions of the Platform and provide expertise. However, they shall not have voting rights and shall not participate in the formulation of recommendations or advice of the Platform or its sub-groups.

On a proposal by and in agreement with DG EMPL, the Platform shall adopt its rules of procedure by simple majority of its members, on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups, in compliance with the horizontal rules .

The members of the Platform and their representatives, as well as invited experts and observers, are subject to the obligation of professional secrecy, which by virtue of the Treaties and the rules implementing them applies to all members of the institutions and their staff, as well as to the Commission’s rules on security regarding the protection of Union classified information, laid down in Commission Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 and 2015/444 . Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures.

1 The Platform and its sub-groups shall be registered in the Register of expert groups.

2 As concerns the Platform and its sub-groups composition, the following data shall be published on the Register of expert groups: the name of Member States’ authorities; the name of member organisations; the name of observers, including the name of third countries’ authorities.

3 All relevant documents, including the agendas, the minutes and the participants’ submissions, shall be made available either on the Register of expert groups or via a link from the Register to a dedicated website, where this information can be found. Access to dedicated websites shall not be submitted to user registration or any other restriction. In particular, the agenda and other relevant background documents shall be published in due time ahead of the meeting, followed by the timely publication of the minutes. Exceptions to publication shall only be provided where it is deemed that disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 .

1 Participants in the activities of the Platform and its sub-groups shall not be remunerated for the services they offer.

2 Travel and subsistence expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the Platform and its sub-groups shall be reimbursed by the Commission. Reimbursement shall be made in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission and within the limits of the available appropriations allocated to the Commission departments under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources.

This Decision shall apply until 31 December 2030.