Workers with disabilities: law, bargaining and the social partners
February 2001 
Both national governments and EU institutions have in recent years shown an increasing interest in promoting the participation of people with disabilities in working life. Involving the social partners as key participants in the effort to integrate disabled people into the labour market is one of the main thrusts of the disability strategy adopted by the Member States and enforced by the EU institutions. Within this framework, the EU-level social partners in May 1999 adopted a joint declaration on the employment of disabled people. This EIRO comparative study reviews: the general employment situation of disabled people in the EU and Norway; government measures, whether statutory or otherwise, to promote the employment of people with disabilities or prevent discrimination against them; the extent to which collective bargaining deals with disability issues and the content of such bargaining; the views of social partners on current statutory measures and the EU-level joint declaration; and the partners' contribution to the promotion of the employment of disabled people, including joint initiatives with non-governmental organisations. Comparative study
The comparative study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by EIRO's national centres. The text of each of these national reports is available below in Word format. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.
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