European Ombudswoman Teresa Anjinho has asked the European Commission to improve support for staff members with disabilities through the development of clearer and more comprehensive procedures for addressing complaints about alleged disability-related discrimination.

These procedures should ensure that those responsible for handling disability-related complaints and harassment allegations systematically consult the Commission’s central disability team - or other staff with expertise in disability matters - before finalising decisions.

To this end, the Ombudswoman suggested the Commission reinforce the role of the central disability team, enabling it not only to provide support in the context of requests for reasonable accommodation, but also to give specialised expertise and guidance on alleged disability-related discrimination.

The Ombudswoman further suggested that the Commission ensure its internal guidance to staff clearly explains the role of the central disability team in situations where a staff member with a disability encounters difficulties with reasonable accommodation or perceives discriminatory treatment.

This holistic approach would help ensure that disability-related complaints are considered in their broader context and in a manner consistent with the Commission’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

Background

The Ombudswoman’s suggestions follow a complaint-based inquiry that examined how the Commission handled a request for assistance that raised allegations of psychological harassment linked to disability-related concerns.

While the Ombudswoman found no issues in how the Commission examined those specific allegations of harassment, she noted that current procedures are not designed to address broader patterns of alleged disability discrimination that are not linked to a single identifiable decision on reasonable accommodation.

As a result, discrimination allegations are currently examined through challenges to individual decisions rather than through a more holistic assessment of discrimination occurring over time.