Paralympics highlights need for disability directive throughout EU says Euro-MP

10.08.45am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 28th Sep 2004

Liz Lynne MEP signing up to SCOPE's better access for disabled people campaign

As the 2004 Paralympics in Athens draws to a close tonight, West Midlands Euro-MP Liz Lynne congratulated the British Paralympics Team on their tremendous success in the Athens games.

The team won over 30 Golds and over 90 medals in total, once again beating their counterparts in the olympics two weeks ago.

As Disability Spokesperson for the UK Liberal Democrat MEP's she said:

"Once again the Paralympic team have done the country proud and sit in second place in the medals table only beaten by China. I would also like to congratulate the BBC on its coverage this year which although not as much as I would have liked to have seen, is still better than most other countries."

"At the paralympics in Athens many competitors and spectators found it almost impossible to find a restaurant which either had room for wheelchairs or were accessible for disabled people. This highlights the need for legislation across the EU to give disabled people equal access and rights."

Liz Lynne MEP was disappointed the EU Commissioner Designate for Employment and Social Affairs Vladimir Spidla refused to commit to a timetable for implementing a specific directive to combat discrimination on the grounds of disability.

"At the end of the European Year for people with disabilities 2003, the then Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner said they were committed to introducing a specific disability directive.

"I questioned the new commissioner on this yesterday and although happy that he said he was interested in adopting such a measure we must keep up the pressure on the Commission to announce a timetable for implementation.

On the Disability Discrimination Act she said:

"The Disability Discrimination Act will come in to force in the UK on Friday (October 1st) and many companies have not adapted their buildings. They have no excuse as they have known about this date for years.

"Disabled people have been waiting a long time for this day and I am sure they will want to see their rights enforced. This legislation will bring equality for people with disabilities closer but other areas like transport still remain exempt from the Act. It is time that bus, train and airline companies were subject to the same rules as everyone else."

ENDS

Notes To Editors

As well as being the rapporteur of the European Year of People with Disabilities 2003, Liz also drafted the Parliament's report supporting a UN Convention on Disabled People's Rights earlier that year.

As an MP she campaigned for equal rights for disabled people and worked on the Disability Discrimination Act.