Ministers will meet in Zarogoza on 19 May to discuss the EU's implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and provide input for a new European Disability Strategy.

European Commission Vice-President Viviane Reding will urge EU Member States to swiftly ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. She will tell EU Ministers in charge of disability policies that the EU must show leadership to ensure that people with disabilities are fully integrated into the economy and enjoy equal rights.

This yearly informal ministerial meeting on disability provides a platform for examining the state of play in implementing the UN Convention. A report from the EU Disability High Level Group will provide further input for the work in Zaragoza. The UN Convention aims at protecting and ensuring the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities (see also MEMO/10/198). The Council must agree on a Code of Conduct so that the Convention can enter into force in the EU. The Commission will urge Member States to adopt the Code and ratify the Convention.

The Commission will commit to implementing the Convention through concrete actions in various policy fields. These actions will be set out in a new European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 to be published in the autumn. Active inclusion of people with disabilities is part of the Europe 2020 Strategy and will help meet the 75% employment target endorsed by EU leaders. The right policy framework can also benefit businesses through better employee recruitment from a wider pool of high quality workers, improved corporate image, further innovation and more marketing opportunities for services and equipment for disabled people.

The Commission will also launch a European Award for Accessible Cities. The award will be given in December 2010 to an EU city with an outstanding record in developing environmental, transportation, information and communication technologies and services that are accessible to persons with disabilities.