European Union Affairs Committee supports creating a European Disability Card

According to Chair of the European Union Affairs Committee Maria Jufereva-Skuratovski, it is a necessary initiative. “People want to live a full life regardless of their disability and deserve equal treatment in all countries. The introduction of a European Union Disability Card would ensure its holder access to benefits when using the services they need in all Member States, and would help ensure that people are treated equally within a country, regardless of where they were diagnosed with a disability,” she said.

It was underlined at the sitting that while the European Union Affairs Committee fully supported issuing of the card in digital format, there was a clear need to create a physical card in addition to the digital one, as not all people with disabilities have access to digital solutions. According to Estonia’s positions, the possibility to link the Disability Card to the EU Digital Identity Wallet should be considered. Estonia also supports the mandatory introduction of a European parking card for persons with disabilities and linking of the two cards, if possible.

In line with the opinion of the Social Affairs Committee, the European Union Affairs Committee decided to support the positions presented by the Government on the European Union Disability Card initiative. Thus, the Committee gave the Government a mandate to follow the positions it has endorsed in the debates held in Europe. The European Commission is currently gathering views through a public consultation and, as far as it is known, plans to come forward with a proposal for a legal initiative on a Disability Card at the end of this year. The introduction of the card could take four or five years.

At the sitting, Kadri Mets, Adviser of the Welfare and Social Inclusion Department of the Ministry of Social Affairs, and Berit Marksoo, Adviser of the European Union Affairs and International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Social Affairs, gave an overview of the initiative and replied to the questions of the members of the European Union Affairs Committee.

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Link uudisele: European Union Affairs Committee supports creating a European Disability Card

Source: Parliament of Estonia