Disability rights in Europe: How can EU law make a difference? — Listen to the latest Arqus podcast episode!

How does European Union law protect the rights of persons with disabilities? What role does the Court of Justice of the EU play in shaping disability rights across Member States? And why is it important to look at disability law through a truly European lens?

These questions are at the heart of the latest episode of the Arqus Knowledge Pills podcast, featuring Bernardo Cortese, professor of European Union law at the University of Padua.

In this episode,  Bernardo Cortese discusses his recent publication on the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union in adapting EU employment equality law to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. He explains why EU law should be understood as a multi-layered system, where courts, legislators and institutions interact to progressively strengthen fundamental rights.

The conversation also explores the most significant developments in EU disability law over the past decade, including advances in case law, legislation and soft law instruments. Special attention is given to particularly vulnerable groups, such as asylum seekers and third-country nationals with disabilities, who face multiple layers of discrimination and barriers to the protection of their dignity.

The speaker also reflects on how his personal experience as a parent of a child with a severe disability has shaped his research, offering a powerful example of how legal concepts—such as discrimination by association—translate into real-life challenges. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of building a European culture of inclusion, empowerment and collective representation, and on how EU law can influence national systems to promote meaningful change.

Learn more about Bernardo Cortese

Bernardo Cortese is a Full Professor of European Union Law at the Department of Public, International and EU Law of the University of Padua. His research focuses on EU law in its institutional, judicial and substantive dimensions, with particular attention to the internal market, competition law, immigration, energy and environmental law. He previously served as Référendaire at the Court of Justice of the European Union. Among his many collaborations are those with the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Commission, the Directorate-General for Competition, and the European State Aid Observatory.

The episodes of the “Arqus Knowledge Pills” are published regularly and can be subscribed to on Spotify and other platforms (see below).