Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council agreed that third-country nationals legally residing in the EU should also be eligible for EU disability and parking cards.
On Monday, negotiators reached a provisional agreement on the proposal to extend the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities to third-country nationals, including asylum-seekers, legally residing in the member states, as well as stateless persons and their personal assistants, regardless of their nationality.
To ensure that information is available in language that third-country nationals can understand, member states may take measures to accommodate specific language needs of third-country nationals. The Commission is tasked with reporting on disadvantages caused by intersectional discrimination of persons with disabilities, similar to the main directive.
Quotes
Rapporteur Alice Kuhnke (Greens/EFA, SE) said: “The EU is only socially just once we ensure access to rights and opportunities for all, without discrimination. Today, we took a major step towards achieving that. We have now reached an agreement that will have a significant impact in improving the lives and facilitating the mobility of thousands of European residents.”
Rapporteur Antonius Manders (EPP, NL) said: "A step forward: the European Disability Card is now also available for non-European citizens living in the EU. This is important for people with disabilities, including older persons who can face additional challenges and sometimes even discrimination, simply because of their disability and age. This card will help build a more inclusive EU, of which I am always a supporter."
Background
This directive is complementary to the directive for an EU disability card and parking card for persons with disabilities, which aims to make sure that, when travelling for a short period, persons with disabilities have equal access to preferential conditions, such as reduced or zero entry fees, priority access and access to reserved parking. Both cards will grant card holders, as well as the persons accompanying them and assistance animals, access to most of the same conditions as national card holders.
The EU disability card will be issued and renewed free of charge. Member states can choose to charge a fee for the administrative costs of issuing and renewing the EU parking card.
More information on the EU-wide disability and parking cards in this press release.
Contacts:
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Janne OJAMO
Press Officer -
Arianne SIKKEN
Press Officer