The Council has adopted two new directives that can make it simpler for individuals with disabilities to journey inside the EU.
The directive establishing the European incapacity card and the European parking card for individuals with disabilities will guarantee equal entry to particular situations or preferential remedy for individuals with disabilities throughout quick stays all through the EU. Examples embrace lowered or zero entry charges, precedence entry, help, and reserved parking areas.
Moreover, ministers have adopted a directive extending these provisions to non-EU residents who legally reside in EU international locations, which means they may even have the ability to use these playing cards throughout short-term stays in different member states.
Nationwide authorities will probably be chargeable for issuing bodily and digital European incapacity playing cards in an accessible format. The playing cards will probably be recognised all through the EU as proof of incapacity or entitlement to particular companies primarily based on a incapacity. The European parking playing cards for individuals with disabilities will probably be produced in bodily format, with member states having the choice to additionally subject them in digital format.
Subsequent steps
The directives will now be signed by each the Council and the European Parliament and can enter into drive following publication within the EU’s Official Journal. For each directives, member states can have two and a half years to adapt their nationwide laws and three and a half years to use the measures.
Background
The Fee revealed a proposal for a directive establishing a European incapacity card and a European parking card for individuals with disabilities in September 2023. The Council reached an settlement with the European Parliament on 8 February 2024.
The Fee’s proposal for a directive extending the European incapacity card and the European parking card for individuals with disabilities to non-EU residents legally residing in EU member states was revealed in October 2023. The Council and the Parliament reached an settlement on 4 March 2024.
