Today, the EU Council approved the final version of the text of the Directive on the European Disability Card and European Parking Card, clearing the last bureaucratic hurdles!
We lauded the political agreement of the texts back in April. However, the final legal approval was delayed due to the need to legally translate it into 27 languages.
This final approval means that the text can be published in the EU’s Official Journal, and the countdown for EU countries to start issuing the Cards begins. It also means that the Cards should be a reality by 2028 at the latest. However, EU countries can (and should) start issuing and accepting them sooner.
We will now focus on the national implementation of the laws and the practical implications, working with allies to achieve ambitious national laws that also include:
- Earmarked funding to implement the Cards.
- Minimising exceptions made on the scope of the Cards.
- Ambition in going beyond the initial idea and ensuring the European Disability Card can give temporary access to disability support.
- Supporting the European Commission to develop the necessary technical requirements for example for the digital versions of the Card
Yannis Vardakastanis, the President of the European Disability Forum, said:
We are happy that, finally, the last hurdles were cleared. We now hope to see the same ambition and swiftness from EU countries in starting to issue and accepting the Cards.
Additional Information
The Environment Council of 14 October adopted the legislative – the final ‘multi-language’ text of the Directive, which had been approved in COREPER I on 9 October. The delay in the approval had to do with the translation of the Directive. A political approval of the content had already been established before the European Elections.
Related documents
- European Disability Forum’s campaign page on the “European Disability Card”
Contacts
André Félix
Communications Coordinator