EU Parking card

Are you concerned whether you will have the same rights and facilities when parking your car in another European country? There is a standardised model of parking card for disabled people which is recognised in all EU Member States! 

The Community standardised model of parking card for the disabled allows a disabled person who is entitled to use certain parking facilities in his Member State of residence to move more easily in the territory of another Member State and avail themselves of all the parking facilities granted to the disabled in that Member State. The Community model was introduced by a Council Recommendation in 1998.  

This Recommendation provides for the standardisation of the layout of parking cards for people with disabilities and their recognition by the Member States, in order to facilitate such people’s freedom of movement by car. The Annex entitled “Provisions on the Community model parking card for people with disabilities” contains very specific provisions on what the standard European card should look like, specifies its height, width, colour, material (plastic-coated), content and how and where the information specific to the Member States is to be displayed. 

Member States remain responsible for issuing the card. In this respect, Member States use their own definition of disability and define the procedures for granting the card. The Recommendation does not aim to change the way in which the disability parking card is implemented at national level. Nevertheless the European dimension has a substantial impact on the free movement and independent living of disabled EU citizens.