The Basque Government proposes to the European Commission improvements for future European Disability Card and Parking Card for People with Disabilities

• Minister Melgosa: “It is about ensuring and guaranteeing equal treatment and non-discrimination in access to services for people with disabilities in the states and regions of the Union”
• The Proposed Directive has been approved by the European Commission and the support of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament is pending.
• Its new design, validity and expiration will avoid possible scams and greater control by city councils and responsible institutions.
• The current parking cards must be replaced when Brussels approves it and will observe greater control

Brussels & Vitoria-Gasteiz, 2023 11 12

The Basque Government, through its Department of Equality, Justice, and Social Policies, has proposed to the European Commission various initiatives to improve the directive on the future European Disability Card and European Parking Card for People with Disabilities. “It is about ensuring and guaranteeing equal treatment and non-discrimination in access to services for people with disabilities in the Member States and regions of the Union,” explains Minister Mrs. Nerea Melgosa.

“From the Basque Government, we consider the proposal for a Directive establishing the new European Disability Card and European Parking Card for people with Disabilities, presented by the European Commission on September 6, to be very positive. This is a necessary project that will guarantee equal treatment and non-discrimination in access to services for people with disabilities in the Member States and regions of the European Union,” said the Minister.

"To this end, through the REPER - Permanent State Representation before the EU - and the Commission's "Have you say" channel of institutional, associative and citizen contributions, we have made several contributions that will be useful to optimize the Directive and contribute to the debates of the co-legislators such as the scope of their application, free Cards, validity and renewal, informative campaigns, fraudulent use and data disaggregated by gender” adds Mrs. Melgosa.

Substate management

In the proposal approved by the Commission prior to ratification by the Parliament and the Council of the Union, the Directive establishes that it does not affect the competence of the Member States to determine the conditions for evaluating and recognizing the condition of disability, nor for grant the right to parking conditions and facilities reserved for people with disabilities. Nor does it affect the competence of Member States to issue, at national, regional, or local level, a certificate, disability card or other official document for people with disabilities.

"Taking this provision into consideration, from the Basque Government we propose that the sub-state management capacity of both cards be recognized in those European regions of the EU with autonomy to do so, which includes the registration or census, the issuance and validity, the renewal and the withdrawal of the Cards. Likewise, there must be coordination and exchange of European/state/substate/local information on the management of the Cards,” explains Minister Mrs. Nerea Melgosa.

Regarding the design and printing of the new cards, EU guidelines will be followed by introducing the respective formats and designs described in the Directive when they are issued with the corresponding serial number and the name and seal of the issuing authority.

Promotion and rigor

Mrs. Nerea Melgosa believes that “both Cards must be made known effectively. In this sense, public authorities must activate specific promotional and informative campaigns for the use of the Cards, especially the Parking Card, collaborating with the departments of transportation, traffic, social services, and all those who are concerned in the local administrations and regional. Furthermore, the European Commission could activate a website with relevant information on the Cards available in all EU languages.”

It is important to fight against possible fraud in the use of both Cards. Fraudulent use should give rise to its cancellation and return, without prejudice to the sanctions provided for by each legal system. It is advisable to set a validity limit and the necessary renewal date for the cards” emphasizes the Minister.

The proposed Directive will have a positive impact on the various rights recognized in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. According to Mrs. Nerea Melgosa, “girls and women with disabilities are at greater risk of suffering isolation and invisibility and multiple discrimination. From the Basque Government we emphasize the importance of having data disaggregated by sex that allows an analysis of the differential situation of women and men and, therefore, foresee the possible gender impact of the regulations."

Finally, to ensure equal treatment with citizens of the European Union, the Commission intends to present a separate legal act extending the scope of the proposal to third-country nationals who are legally located or residing in the territory of a Member State and who have the right to travel to other Member States in accordance with Union law.