Local Experience at European Level: Harghita County’s Contribution to the Disability Rights Strategy Harghita County’s Proposals for the EU Disability Rights Strategy
The European Union is currently working on strengthening the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It is an honour for us to have had the opportunity to share the experiences and proposals of Harghita County with the competent colleagues of the European Committee of the Regions (SEDEC). The responses were collected together with local civil society organisations, professionals, and persons with disabilities who face daily the practical barriers that still limit full participation in society.
The Main Gap: Accessibility Is Still Not a Basic Standard
According to feedback from Harghita County, accessibility remains insufficient, fragmented, or entirely absent in many areas. Even today, investments financed from EU funds do not always comply with accessibility requirements, and there are still schools and hospital units in the county where wheelchair users cannot access sanitary facilities. Beyond physical barriers, there is also a serious lack of attitudinal accessibility: persons with disabilities are often viewed through a narrative of pity, which leads to exclusion, indifference, and the absence of genuine inclusion. For this reason, accessibility must become a fundamental condition not only in architectural terms, but also at digital, communication, and societal (attitudinal) levels.
Specific Characteristics of Harghita County
Local stakeholders highlighted several factors that require special attention in Harghita County. Persons with disabilities living in rural areas often experience isolation due to the limited availability of services and the very restricted options for accessible public transport. There are still schools and hospital wards where basic accessibility is not ensured, for example where sanitary facilities are not accessible to wheelchair users. Local support services, such as personal assistance and mobile support teams, often lack sufficient capacity. Another important characteristic of the region is its bilingual nature: accessible communication should be ensured in both local languages, yet this is not always the case. Furthermore, digital administrative services are frequently inaccessible, creating additional barriers in everyday procedures.
What Do We Propose at EU Level?
One of the most important elements of the local proposals is that accessibility should become a strict, non-negotiable condition for all EU-funded investments. Respondents consider it unacceptable that public funds are used to renovate or build institutions and services that exclude persons with disabilities from the outset. Therefore, stricter monitoring of compliance is necessary, along with clear consequences when newly implemented investments fail to meet accessibility standards. In addition, clear minimum standards are essential for both physical and digital accessibility, especially in the case of online services.
The proposals also emphasise the importance of awareness-raising and training: inclusion must become an integral part of everyday practice, which requires mandatory training for teachers, public officials, healthcare professionals, and customer service staff. In education, respondents call for a truly inclusive system in which school infrastructure and digital tools are accessible, teachers possess the necessary methodological skills, and sufficient support services are available so that children with disabilities can effectively participate in mainstream education. The same approach is needed in vocational training, reskilling, and adult learning, where accessible materials, examinations, and practice locations are essential.
In healthcare, local stakeholders consider it fundamental that medical practices, hospitals, and diagnostic centres be genuinely accessible, and that communication accessibility be ensured through sign language interpretation or easy-to-understand information. Special attention should be paid to developing accessible emergency protocols, improving access to rehabilitation services, and reducing territorial disparities.
Regarding transport and housing, in addition to accessible vehicles and stops, strict control of accessibility in new buildings and residential areas is necessary, along with strengthened support for independent living. Respondents highlight the importance of protected and supported housing schemes, including “respite” services that can provide 24/7 care when families need temporary relief. Ensuring well-trained staff in these services is a fundamental condition, and in the long term a stronger and more accessible care system is needed, prioritising community-based solutions over institutional placement.
On the labour market, respondents stress the need to ensure that workplaces are accessible in physical, digital, and communication terms, that reasonable accommodation is guaranteed, and that flexible employment arrangements are promoted. It is important to make the competences of persons with disabilities visible and to develop training and reskilling programmes that provide competitive skills and professions. This requires incentives for employers, mentoring programmes, and stronger measures against discrimination.
In the fields of sport, culture, and leisure, full accessibility must become a guiding principle. Sports facilities, cultural institutions, and community events should not only be accessible at the entrance, but fully usable, including changing rooms, sanitary facilities, internal circulation, ticketing systems, and appropriate seating. Accessible parks, playgrounds, and community spaces are equally important, as is support for parasport programmes. In everyday life, restaurants, cafés, shops, shopping centres, and pharmacies must also be accessible, and staff should be trained to provide respectful and appropriate assistance.
The Key Role of Local Authorities
Respondents emphasise that local and county authorities play a crucial role in turning accessibility from a theoretical principle into everyday reality. It is important that they continuously monitor and enforce accessibility regulations in order to prevent the creation of new barriers and progressively remove existing ones. Building strong partnerships with civil society organisations and ensuring the direct involvement of persons with disabilities in policymaking are equally essential. Local authorities must lead by example by ensuring that their own institutions, services, and events are fully accessible and by integrating the perspective of persons with disabilities into local planning processes. They can also support services, projects, and initiatives that promote autonomy and social participation and, where appropriate, provide tax incentives or other local benefits for persons with disabilities.
A Shared Goal: A More Accessible and Fairer Europe
In Harghita County, we want the rights of persons with disabilities to be more than theoretical principles — they must become a lived reality in everyday life. Our proposals aim to ensure that the future EU Strategy provides even stronger support for accessibility, inclusive services, and genuine equal opportunities, both in urban and rural areas.