The European Commission proposes a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card, valid throughout the Union

• The Basque Government has participated in its definition
• Following approval by the Council of the Union and the European Parliament, it will be activated once the provisions of the Directive are incorporated into national legislation
• https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/es/IP_23_4331

Brussels/Vitoria-Gasteiz, 2023 09 06

The European Commission today presented a legislative proposal that will facilitate access to the right to free movement for people with disabilities. They will guarantee access to special conditions, preferential treatment and equal parking rights when visiting another Member State. The Commission proposal introduces a standardized European Disability Card and improves the current European Parking Card for people with disabilities. Both cards will be recognized throughout the Union.

The Basque Government has participated in the creation of the European Disability Card with various contributions. Last February, the Department of Equality, Justice and Social Policies suggested, in the consultation opened by Brussels, the need for a community regulation, attention to “invisible” disabilities and girls and women victims.

European Disability Card

Today, when a person is not recognized as disabled abroad, they cannot access special conditions and preferential treatment when visiting other Member States, such as free or priority access, reduced rates or personal assistance. . To address this issue, the Commission proposes the creation of a standardized European Disability Card.

The European Disability Card will serve as recognized proof of disability throughout the EU and will ensure equal access to special conditions and preferential treatment in public and private services, such as transport, cultural events, museums, sports centers and leisure and amusement parks. It will be issued by the competent national authorities and will complement existing national cards or certificates.

Improvement of the European Parking Card

For many people with disabilities, private car transportation guarantees autonomy and remains the best or only way to travel and get around independently. The proposed improvements to the current European Parking Card will allow people with disabilities to access the same parking rights available in another Member State. It will have a common binding format that will replace national parking cards for people with disabilities and will be recognized throughout the EU.

Guarantee the accessibility of the Cards

To facilitate use and reduce administrative burden, the proposed Directive will require Member States to: Provide cards in both physical and digital versions; Make available to the public the conditions and rules for the issuance or withdrawal of cards in accessible formats; and ensure that service providers offer information on special conditions and preferential treatment for people with disabilities in accessible formats.

In order to ensure compliance, Member States should ensure that people with disabilities, their representative organizations and relevant public bodies can take action under national law if necessary. Following the adoption of the Directive into national law, Member States are required to impose fines and apply corrective measures in case of infringement.

Next stages

The Commission's proposal will now be debated in the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. The proposal provides that once adopted, Member States will have eighteen months to transpose the provisions of the Directive into national law.

The proposal for a Directive establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for people with disabilities was announced in the EU Strategy on the Rights of People with Disabilities 2021-2030. The proposal contributes to the EU's implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPDP), to which the EU and all its Member States are parties. The CRPD contains obligations for States Parties to recognize the rights of persons with disabilities to freedom of movement on an equal basis with others. It also calls on States parties to take effective measures to ensure the personal mobility of persons with disabilities as independently as possible, in particular by facilitating affordable personal mobility and in the manner and at the time of their choice. The proposal also complies with the principles of equal opportunities and inclusion of people with disabilities of the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The initiative is based on the results of the European Disability Card pilot project, carried out in Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Malta, Romania and Slovenia between 2016 and 2018. In addition, it integrates the knowledge acquired through a recent public consultation which garnered over 3,300 responses, of which 78% came from people with disabilities.