3,361 persons replied to the public consultation feeding into preparation of the Commission’s legislative proposal for a European Disability Card to be recognised by all Member States. 2,632 respondents were persons with disabilities.

© Shutterstock

The public consultation on the European Disability Card was open for 12 weeks from February to May 2023 to ensure that the proposal is grounded in real-world needs and the lived experience of persons with disabilities.

To ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities, the questionnaire was available via Have Your Say, but also as an Easy-to-read version via EU Survey, and an accessible Word document via email.

What problems do persons with disabilities face when travelling in the EU?

According to the main finding of the public consultation:

• Most respondents (73%) claimed that the lack of mutual recognition of disability status in the EU represents an obstacle for persons with disabilities to exercise their fundamental right to free movement.
• Many confirmed that their national disability cards/certificates have not been accepted when travelling across the EU.
• 68% stated that this lack of recognition causes a different treatment to persons with disabilities who are non-residents, limiting their access to the preferential conditions offered for persons with disabilities to access and enjoy certain services.
• Moreover, 77% reported the lack of available information on those preferential conditions for persons with disabilities.

Similar issues emerged for the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities:

• 67% of respondents highlighted that its limited recognition across the EU and the different formats and conditions attached to the card, varying between EU countries, is causing problems for its users.

How would this initiative help?

To solve this issue:

• Almost all respondents agreed that the EU action is needed to facilitate both the mutual recognition of disability status in the EU (92% agreed) and the access to those services offering preferential conditions to persons with disabilities through a European Disability Card (91%), as well as for improving the implementation of the European parking card for persons with disabilities (83%).

Regarding the European Disability Card:

• 86% of respondents think it should be binding for all Member States, without the possibility of opting out;
• 70% that it must be available in both physical and electronic format;
• that the main sectors that must be covered are public transport (54% agreed), cultural activities (47%), and parking rights (46%).
• Moreover, 83% of respondents agreed that the improved European Parking Card for persons with disabilities should be incorporated into the same legislative initiative as the new European Disability Card.

Considering the above, overall respondents think that the introduction of the European Disability Card and the improvement of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities:

• will simplify the mutual recognition of disability status (82% agreed)
• will increase the access to services offering preferential conditions and the take up of cultural, leisure, sports and travel services by persons with disabilities (84%)
• as well as increase the opportunity for persons with disabilities to exercise fully their right to travel across the EU (83%), the frequency of their travels and the number of persons with disabilities travelling in the EU (67%).

What are the next steps?

The European Commission has further analysed the replies to the public consultation, and these have fed into preparation of the impact assessment and the legislative proposal for the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card initiative.

The Commission’s adoption of this initiative is planned for 6^th September 2023.

Click here to check the public consultation summary report.