At their first meeting on Monday 4 March, negotiators from the EU Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement to extend the directive on the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for people with disabilities to third-country nationals legally residing in an EU Member State.
Proposed by the European Commission in October 2023, this extension covers asylum seekers, stateless persons and their personal assistants, regardless of their nationality. The conditions of eligibility for third-country nationals are legal residence in a Member State, recognition of the status of disabled person by that State and the right to move or travel in other Member States in accordance with EU law.
The text aims to facilitate the mobility of people with disabilities on short journeys within the EU by ensuring equal access to preferential conditions such as reduced or waived entry fees, priority access and reserved parking spaces.
These provisions were laid down in the agreement reached on 8 February and confirmed by the Member States on 16 February (see EUROPE 13352/22), enabling the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card to be recognised in all Member States. These cards will be recognised in all Member States and can be issued in physical or digital form by national authorities. The European Disability Card will be issued and renewed free of charge. Member States may choose to charge for the administrative costs of issuing and renewing the European Parking Card.
Alice Kuhnke (Greens/EFA, Swedish) and Antonius Manders (EPP, Dutch), European Parliament rapporteurs, both stressed in a press release the importance of this agreement, which represents a “major step forward” for social inclusion and non-discrimination. (Original version in French by Nithya Paquiry)