Summary report of the Discussion on the Future of the Disability Card on 16 September 2021

22.10.2021

Marie Denninghaus

EDF started first campaigning for the introduction of a European Disability Card (then known as “European Mobility Card”) in 2011
The core demand of EDF’s campaign was to establish a Card which is recognized throughout the EU and gives its holders the same disability related rights and discounts as a national of the Member States that the person is visiting
In 2015, we came closer to putting the idea of a European Disability Card into practice when the European Commission published a call for proposals for a pilot project. 8 EU Member States participated: Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Malta, Romania, and Slovenia.
The European Commission indicated that the following areas can be included: Culture, Leisure, Sport, and Transport (as previously agreed by the preparatory Project Working Group, where interested Member States representatives together with the European Commission and EDF were discussing the pilot project).
In March 2021, the new Disability Strategy was published and mentions the European Disability Card as a “Flagship” to be adopted by 2023.