Speaker Biograghy: Gunta is the EDF Vice President and Chair of the EDF expert group on transport. Throughout her career she has been a proactive disability rights activist and advocate for gender equality. Since 2002 she has been Chair of the Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations (SUSTENTO). At a European level, she is also a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), an EU consultative body that gives representatives of Europe's socio-occupational interest groups, and others, a formal platform to express their points of view on EU issues. In addition, she is an advisor to the Disability Rights Fund, a cooperative body of donors and the disability community to advance the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).


Day 3 - 16 March
Session: Ageing Population & PRMs

11:25 - 11:55 - EU regulations and transport accessibility – the disability perspective
Synopsis: Accessible travel is a right under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. However, transport remains inaccessible for many persons with disabilities. EU regulations have proved to be a useful tool to advance accessibility and make transport more inclusive, but a lot remains to be done.

Audience will learn:

• Accessibility as a right under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
• Relevant EU legislation on accessibility and passengers' rights
• Why accessibility is important, both for the individual passenger and for the business
• How better accessibility can be achieved (e.g. the role of European legislation and standards)
• Why accessibility should be tackled on an EU level, not on a national level