EFHOH welcomes the Concluding Observations of the United Nations’ Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, following the second review of the European Union’s implementation of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Earlier this year, EFHOH submitted its Alternative Report to the Committee and took part in the review session held in March 2025 at the UN Headquarters in Geneva.
The Committee’s concerns and recommendations highlight key areas where the EU must strengthen its commitment to the rights of persons with disabilities, by aligning its legislation, policies, and funding practices with the Convention.
The Committee raised serious concern over the EU’s withdrawal of the Equal Treatment Directive, which would have extended anti-discrimination protections beyond employment to essential areas like education, healthcare, and access to services. It also noted that the EU Disability Rights Strategy 2021–2030 lacks concrete actions beyond 2024 and pays limited attention to most marginalized groups.
Another key concern expressed by the Committee is the lack of accessibility in digital communication and media, as websites, audiovisual services, and social media remain largely inaccessible. The Committee recommended Member States to enforce web accessibility standards and mandatory provision of captioning, which would benefit hard of hearing people’s access to public information.
In relation to Article 25 of the CRPD on the right to health, the Committee found systemic barriers due to inaccessible communication and recommended setting accessibility standards across healthcare systemsand training medical staff in inclusive communication. The Committee also called for an EU-wide action plan for accessible habilitation and rehabilitation across the lifespan, in line with the WHO’s Rehabilitation 2030 agenda, which include hearing rehabilitation to ensure full participation of hard of hearing people during their whole lifetime.
A significant recommendation with direct reference to hard of hearing people appears under Article 29 on participation in public and political life. The Committee urged the EU to ensure voting rights for all citizens with disabilities, and to provide accessible voting methods and information, including for blind, deaf, and hard of hearing persons. This recognition is crucial, and EFHOH welcomes the call for inclusive electoral processes and political access for hard of hearing people.
On access to justice, the Committee recommended procedural accommodations in legal settings, such as accessible formats and supported communication, which are measures that must include real-time captioning and speech-to-text services for hard of hearing persons.
Concerning employment, the Committee called for the enforcement of reasonable accommodation, equal pay, and an end to public funding of segregated employment, while supporting Member States in their efforts to implement the Disability Employment Package. Such actions are essential for enabling hard of hearing people to work and advance their career path in inclusive and open employment.
Other key recommendations include restoring funding to EU4Health to reduce health disparities, improving disability data disaggregation by type, and harmonizing disability recognition across Member States. The Committee also called for the expansion of the European Disability Card to support long-term mobility and access to social protection, particularly relevant for hard of hearing persons moving between countries.
While not always explicitly named, most of these recommendations are highly relevant to hard of hearing people, especially in the areas of media, healthcare, justice, employment, political participation, and rehabilitation.
EFHOH calls on the European Union to act on these recommendations from the CRPD Committee and to ensure that hard of hearing people are fully recognized and included in all future legislation, funding, and disability strategies under its UN CRPD obligations.
EFHOH also supports the European Disability Forum’s campaign to amend the proposed EU Regulation on the cross-border protection of adults, which directly affects persons with disabilities and older adults and risks violating the UN CRPD by recognizing deprivation of legal capacity, failing to protect supported decision-making, and facilitating cross-border institutionalization.
EFHOH strongly encourage Hard of Hearing organisations to participate in their countries CRPD Reviews by submitting Alternative Report.
Read more about the Concluding Observations: https://tinyurl.com/5pb62z2j
