The European Parliament

Thanks to the European Disability Card, free movement in the EU is truly inclusive

The European Parliament's Committee on Employment and Social Affairs has adopted the proposal for a directive introducing an EU-wide disability card.
The new rules will make easier to travel in Europe for people with disabilities by providing access to special conditions, including parking, in all member states.
The European Disability Card and the Single Parking Card for people with disabilities provide equal rights and conditions for EU disability card or parking card holders, when traveling or visiting other countries.
The EU disability card must be issued within 60 days, the EU parking card within 30 days, both free of charge.

A parking lot for people with disabilities

Special conditions and preferential treatment

“Through the card – says the European Council website - people with disabilities should have access to the same special conditions and preferential treatment as residents of the country they are visiting. EU countries usually offer special conditions for using public transportation and preferential treatment at cultural, recreational and sports events and activities, such as visiting a museum or attending a concert”.

Benefits vary from one member state to another and may include:

  • free admission;
  • reduced prices;
  • priority access;
  • personal assistance;
  • braille or audio guides;
  • mobility aids:
  • assistance animals;
  • eligibility criteria.


The new European disability card will be issued by the relevant national authorities in each member state. EU countries will continue to be responsible for determining eligibility criteria and the procedure for granting disability status.

Format

The card will be offered in both physical and digital formats. Member states will be able to issue bilingual cards using English and their national languages. They would also have the option of including a QR code on the cards.
European parking mark for people with disabilities
There is already an EU parking mark for people with disabilities, but it is not always recognized in other member states due to differences in format between countries.

Preferential parking rights and facilities

The EU parking sticker will ensure that all people with a recognized disability condition have access to the preferential parking rights and facilities of the country they are visiting. For example:


  • larger parking areas;
  • reserved parking spaces;
  • reduced parking fees;
  • access to restricted traffic zones.

Format

The European parking card will be issued by member states in physical format, with the option, on a voluntary basis, to offer it in digital format as well.

Disability in the EU

The European Commission estimates that 30 million people in the EU have a recognized disability condition and are therefore eligible for preferential treatment. However, the actual number of people who claim to have limitations in their usual activities, due to some form of disability, is estimated to be much higher.

Eurostat data

Eurostat data show that 27 percent of the EU population over the age of 16 could have some form of disability, which equates to 101 million people, or 1 in 4 adults in the EU.