On its way out, EU Parliament approves European disability card

It also set the standards for a better European parking card for people with disabilities

The European Parliament, in its 9^th term, has closed its last plenary session and now the EU is in an election mode campaign. Before disbanding the lawmakers passed the new rules for the EU Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities.

The aim of these cards, proposed by the European Commission last year, was to ensure that freedom of mobility as one of the EU’s core principles properly applies to people with disabilities.

Both cards will grant card holders, as well as those accompanying them and assistance animals, access to most of the same conditions as national card holders. The new rules will only apply for short stays, with an exception for disability card holders who move to another member state for a mobility programme, such as Erasmus+.

Digital version available, too

People with disabilities can now be assured that even as visitors they can still enjoy rights, such as free or priority access and reserved parking spaces.

The rules for the cards were adopted almost unanimously by MEPs with only seven votes against and eleven abstentions. The only thing left is for the Council of the European Union (member states) to formally approve them.

The cards will be available not only in physical format but also in digital format wherever this is allowed. In fact, EU countries are encouraged to issue the cards in digital format. The disability card will be issued free of charge and renewed free of charge. The disabled parking card, however, might be issued after paying administrative fees.

As with so many innovations, the European Disability Card first began as a pilot project in order to study its viability. The project started in 2017 in Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Malta, Slovenia and Romania.