Euronews travels to Ljubljana and Brussels to explore how the new EU disability and parking cards will make it easier for persons with disabilities to enjoy their right to free movement as EU citizens.

In this episode of Real Economy, Euronews travels to Ljubljana and Brussels to explore how the new EU disability and parking cards, in line with principle 17 of the European Pillar of Social Rights, will make it easier for persons with disabilities to enjoy their right to free movement as EU citizens. 

“I have been a disabled person for about 16 years now and it was difficult, especially travelling around Europe, to identify myself. Now that I am a holder of the EU Disability Card, I can be easily recognised as a disabled person,” says former Paralympian Primož Jeralič. ‘I'm travelling a lot, and I did use this card in Belgium, Italy, Austria, Croatia and Germany, all around Europe". 

Pieter Paul Moen who has autism and who is a member of the European Disability Card Fan Team in Belgium, tells Euronews about the importance of the card for persons with invisible disabilities.  

According to Yannis Vardakastanis, the President of the European Disability Forum, the cards are only a ‘momentous victory’ for around 100 million persons with disabilities in the EU. ‘The cards take away some obstacles when travelling. They make it easier, but they do not allow us to enjoy the right to move, to study, to work. Disability does not travel with us’.

In an interview for the episode the European Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli stresses how fast the legislation was adopted and explains: ‘With this card, any rights which a person with a disability has in one country will be available to all the persons with disabilities visiting that particular country, so this recognition is very, very important.’  

The episode is accessible for persons with disabilities. It includes closed captions, audio description, international sign language and an easy-to-read version in several languages.