The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has adopted its position on the proposals put forward by the European Commission for the EU Disability Card. The EESC has welcomed the welcomes the Commission’s proposal for a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card, as well as supporting the Commission’s decision to extend the Directive to third country nationals legally residing in a Member State. The EESC has recommended that the scope of the proposal be extended to allow Disability Cards to be used to obtain access to benefits linked to public social policies and/or national social security systems on a temporary basis when a person with a disability has moved to a Member State, throughout the process of getting the disability re-assessed and certified. Additionally, the opinion sets out that legislative proposals should state clearly that the Disability Card is free of charge and voluntary i.e., there should be no direct issuing of the Card unless the person has asked for it or it is embedded as part of a country’s disability assessment. The full decision can be accessed at:
