Bringing the heart of European decision-making closer to grassroots service providers, the EASPD Lighthouse Network recently hosted an intensive two-day study visit in Brussels on 3 and 4 December 2024. A total of 22 participants from eleven social sector experts from across Europe joined the LHN activity organised by the Policy Impact Group and the Member Forum on Employment focused on a vital objective: demystifying EU policy and transforming it into powerful advocacy tools for national and regional impact. 

Through a dynamic mix of high-level institutional visits, peer exchanges, and collaborative workshops with key European networks, participants explored how to navigate funding streams, break down bureaucratic barriers, and elevate the voices of self-advocates. 

To ground European policy in practical reality, the delegation split into specialised field tracks to evaluate how Belgian authorities manage inclusion and employment: 

• The Employment Track visited ACTIRIS, the Brussels Public Employment Service, to analyse integrated workforce integration strategies and public mechanisms designed to boost the employment of persons with disabilities. 

• The Policy Track met with the VAPH (Flemish Agency for Persons with Disabilities), gaining critical insights into regional funding structures, individualised support budgets, and the governance of social services in Flanders. 

A major highlight of the study visit was an institutional briefing at the European Commission's DG REFORM (Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support). Led by Konstantina Leventi, Head of Policy at EASPD, participants reviewed the current standing of disability issues on the EU political agenda. 

The discussion quickly shifted to practical sustainability, focusing heavily on EU funding mechanisms. Commission representatives and participants discussed the potential of merging different funding streams to create more holistic, flexible financial instruments for NGOs. However, the session did not shy away from systemic challenges: several participants raised concerns over 'red tape'. The heavy bureaucratic burden and the sheer volume of documentation required to access and manage EU funds were highlighted as significant demotivating factors for smaller civil society organisations, an issue EASPD continues to advocate against at the European level. 

The activity also included a session with Inclusion Europe, which provided participants with the conceptual tools needed to work alongside self-advocates rather than speaking for them. The core takeaway was clear: service providers have a vital responsibility to create accessible spaces, provide necessary tools, and step back so that people with disabilities can express their own opinions and amplify their collective voice in political advocacy.