The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs adopted the report by Lucia ĎURIŠ NICHOLSONOVÁ (Renew, SK) on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities.
The committee responsible recommended that the European Parliament's position adopted at first reading under the ordinary legislative procedure should amend the proposal as follows:
Subject matter
Members considered that this Directive should lay down the rules governing the issuance of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities as proof of their disability status, in view of promoting equal rights and freedom of movement for persons with disabilities and facilitating short stays of persons with disabilities in a Member State other than that of which they are a resident, by granting them access to any special conditions or preferential treatment with respect to services, activities or facilities, including when provided not for remuneration, offered to or reserved for persons with disabilities residing in that Member State and, where applicable, persons accompanying or assisting them including their personal assistants.
Scope
By way of derogation, this Directive should apply to the benefits and social assistance:
- where European Disability Card holders move to another Member State to engage in work or enrol in an educational institution until their disability status is re-assessed and formally recognised by the competent authorities in the other Member State; and
- where a European Disability Card holder participates in an EU mobility programme, for the duration of that programme.
Holders of a European Disability Card, while in these situations, should be granted access to the benefits and social assistance by the Member State that issued the European Disability card.
A European Disability Card should not be required as proof of disability in order to access or exercise any of the rights.
Format, mutual recognition, issue
Each Member State should introduce the European Disability Card following the common standardised format and universal accessibility requirements set out in Annex I.
European Disability Cards issued by Member States should be mutually recognised in all Member States and shall be compatible with any certificate, disability card or any other formal document for persons with disabilities issued at national, regional or local level.
Persons with disabilities, or designated representatives acting on their behalf and with their or their legal guardian´s approval, should be able to appeal against a decision by the competent authorities regarding the issuance, renewal or withdrawal of a European Disability Card in accordance with national law and practice.
By 12 months from the date of entry into force of this Directive, the Commission should adopt delegated acts supplementing this Directive by setting the digital format of the European Disability Card and ensure interoperability.
The European Parking Card for persons with disabilities should be issued or renewed by the Member State of residence free of charge to the beneficiary and within a reasonable period from the date of the application which should not exceed 30 days. A digital version should be available within 15 days of an application.
Changing residence
The holders of European Disability Cards or European Parking Cards for persons with disabilities who have changed their Member State of residence, and who await issuance of a national disability card, certificate or any other formal document recognising their disability status by the competent authorities in that Member State, are guaranteed the rights provided for in this Directive during that period.
Monitoring and conformity
Regarding provisions on avoiding risks of fraud or forgery, Members considered that it is important that any measures taken to achieve this aim do not interfere with the rights and interests of persons with disabilities using the card correctly or lead in any way to stigmatisation.
Accessibility of information and awareness raising
Measures concerning availability and accessibility of information, as well as awareness raising measures, have also been strengthened and include an EU awareness raising campaign to be undertaken by the Commission, a dedicated EU website to gather information on the conditions and rules, practices, and procedures to issue, renew or withdraw as well as how to obtain, use and renew the cards in the different Member States. The website should be in the official languages of the Member States, national and international sign languages for audio and video content, in accessible and easy-to-read formats.
Member States should also be obliged to establish national websites outlining the relevant special conditions and preferential treatment offered by public authorities so that persons with disabilities, service providers and the public in general are informed of the advantages the cards entail.
Lastly, amendments were tabled to strengthen the enforcement of the directive and ensure the right to redress including through adequate compensation as well as to better involve the representative organisations of persons with disabilities in the implementation and evaluation of the cards.