EU TRUCK TOUR LAUNCH TO HIGHLIGHT YEAR OF EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Apr 2007

Liz Lynne MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social affairs Committee and Vice President of the European Parliament's disability Intergroup, will today launch a European Truck Tour with Commissioner Spidla to highlight some of the challenges faced by people with disabilities as part of the European Year of Equal Opportunities for All 2007.

Speaking prior to the launch of the truck tour in Strasbourg today Liz commented;

"I hope the truck tour highlights to many EU citizens some of the challenges that people with disabilities face and that in the European Year of Equal Opportunities, the battle for equality continues"

The converted truck will travel to 19 EU countries over the next few months. Commenting on the European Year of Equal Opportunities 2007 Liz said;

"My hope is that as part of this year, the European Commission brings forward a draft disability directive to outlaw discrimination in access to goods and services. Europe must continue to lead the world in the provision of rights for disabled people."

"There is no point in paying lip-service to disabled people's rights. We have to continue the fight for all EU citizens to be treated as equal."