The Commission warns that nearly 95 million people in the EU remain at risk of poverty or social exclusion, with single parents, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and citizens in precarious employment being particularly affected.

Last week, the European Commission presented a comprehensive social package aimed at significantly reducing poverty and social exclusion in the European Union by 2050.

At the heart of the package is the first-ever EU Poverty Strategy, designed to align Member State policies and direct European funds toward the most vulnerable groups.

The Commission warns that nearly 95 million people in the EU continue to face the risk of poverty or social exclusion; single parents, children, persons with disabilities, older people, and citizens in precarious forms of employment are especially impacted.

Alongside the anti-poverty strategy, the European Affordable Housing Plan was introduced, through which Brussels intends to address the rising cost of property and rent in many European cities.

The Commission plans to increase investment in social and energy-efficient housing, simplify state aid rules for housing projects, and encourage the European Investment Bank to provide stronger financing for public and affordable housing.

Special emphasis has been placed on tackling homelessness and energy poverty—situations where households are unable to cover basic heating and electricity costs.

The Commission also aims to strengthen the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights through new measures for a fairer labour market, better protection for workers, and increased access to education, healthcare, and digital services.

The statement notes that Member States will receive additional financial and technical support to implement reforms, including the use of resources from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and other European funds. The Commission maintains that social policy must become an integral part of the green and digital transitions to prevent further deepening of inequalities among EU citizens.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that economic progress is meaningless if a large number of citizens remain excluded from basic social and economic opportunities, and that Europe must remain a continent of social security, equal opportunities, and a dignified life for all.

Employment statistics at this moment do not support the proclaimed goal of the European Commission of creating a society of equal opportunities

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There are still no significant improvements in better positioning Europeans with disabilities in the labour market.

Proof of this is also a joint letter that as many as 125 organisations sent these days to the European Commission, calling on it to publish a new EU Guarantee for the Employment and Skills of Persons with Disabilities as part of the updated Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In this letter, organisations state what targeted funds and programmes are needed to reduce the high unemployment rate of persons with disabilities. Among other things, organisations are calling for dedicated funding to enable access to regular employment opportunities, apprenticeships or training. Likewise, better employment opportunities in sheltered workshops. Employment programmes must be designed in such a way as to offer support to companies and organisations in providing the necessary accommodations for a person with a disability in the workplace.

What is, however, particularly important for organisations is that the EU Guarantee for the Employment and Skills of Persons with Disabilities must not affect the right to receive disability benefits and other state support.

– This Guarantee is a key step to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal conditions in the world of work. If we want a competitive Europe, it is essential that we provide everyone with equal opportunities to contribute to the community – said Yannis Vardakastanis, President of the European Disability Forum.

Employment statistics at this moment do not support the proclaimed goal of the European Commission of creating a society of equal opportunities. Namely, only 52.7 percent of persons with disabilities are employed in the European Union, compared to 76.7 percent of persons without disabilities.

Previous research by the European Disability Forum shows that the gap is mainly a consequence of the lack of necessary accommodations and an insufficient supply of assistive technologies. In addition, the digital skills of employees with disabilities are at a significantly lower level compared to those without disabilities.

The joint letter sent to the European Commission calls for the Guarantee to be a key action of the ‘Enhanced Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities’, and it will be presented during the meeting of the College of Commissioners of the European Commission at the beginning of this May.

Until the development of these sneakers, Chris Nikic regularly struggled to run even a few kilometers without pain and blisters, as there was no footwear designed to meet the unique needs of his foot anatomy

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American of Croatian descent Chris Nikic served as an inspiration to one of the world’s largest sports equipment companies, Adidas, in creating a new model of sneakers specifically designed for people with Down syndrome.

Chris Nikic was the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon. At Adidas, they say that through their shared ambition with Chris to break barriers, they embarked on a multi-year mission to design running shoes that meet the unique needs of people with disabilities and make sport more accessible.

Until the release of this sneaker, called Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive, Chris regularly struggled to run even a few kilometers without pain and blisters because no shoe had been designed to meet the specific needs of his foot anatomy. Since partnering with Adidas, Chris has worn various prototypes that not only allowed him to complete three Ironmans, four half-Ironmans, and 20 marathons.

– What feels like a pain level of 2 out of 10 to most people feels like an 8 to me. Adidas understood exactly what I needed in a shoe. Now I love running because my feet no longer hurt – said Chris.

To ensure the sneakers meet diverse needs, Adidas partnered with GAMUT Management, a leader in inclusive product design, to facilitate product testing that provided the team with key insights and feedback throughout the development process. These focus groups included people with Down syndrome, wheelchair users, individuals living with chronic illnesses, people with mobility and fine motor challenges, as well as those with upper and lower limb differences, and also included two Paralympians, Tracy Otto and Haven Shepherd.

– My experience collaborating with Adidas on this project has been incredible and a true adventure. The entire team was dedicated to making this the best adaptive sneaker available, incorporating features that give me the freedom and independence I had been missing for so long – said Paralympian Tracy Otto.