A short while ago, representatives of the French Association UNAPEI (Union Nationale des Associations de Parents, de personnes handicapées et de leurs amis) visited BAG WfbM in Frankfurt a. M.

The two associations are currently working on a cooperation realignment within EASPD (European Association of Service Providers of Persons with Disabilities). The aim of the meeting was to analyse similarities and differences in the situation of persons with disabilities in France and Germany, as well as to coordinate joint positions for their European work.

Gerhard Kowalski (Board Member), Thierry Nouvel (Managing Director) and the two colleagues responsible for European and International Affairs, Anne-Valérie Dommanget and Céline Simonin, took this opportunity to compare the different structures of both national associations. They also discussed the prevailing conditions of integration support in France and Germany. Of particular interest to the French colleagues were the German procedures of tendering employment services, as well as the discussions on the financing of the workshops. They were surprised to hear about the different regulations in the Federal States in Germany – a clear contradiction to the very centrally organized France.