Brussels activists demand EU funding for personal assistance and independent living
Event
ENIL reported on 16 October 2026 that disabled activists at a Freedom Drive hearing in the European Parliament had called for EU funding rules that support independent living. Their proposals included enforceable safeguards, complaints procedures and participation by disability organisations in monitoring spending. [1]
Assistance users explain what funding enables
Emma Astrand of Sweden’s STIL cooperative described how personal assistance enables work, travel and everyday choices. Ulrika Norelius explained that members direct their assistance and recruit and train assistants. Their accounts linked budget decisions with control over daily life. [1]
Rights must shape spending
“The CRPD is law,” UN disability-rights committee member Markus Schefer said. He called for binding funding requirements and remedies for misuse. ENIL policy coordinator Florian Sanden proposed measurable goals and independent complaints handling. The hearing concerned the EU’s next long-term budget; negotiations over the funding rules were continuing. [1]
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