European Disability Forum: One step closer to freedom of movement – Commissioner Thyssen announced the launch of the Mobility Card

During the event “Towards a barrier-free Europe: European Disability Card” organised by Member of the European Parliament Marek Plura in the European Parliament on 30 June, European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen announced publicly that the call for tenders for member states to set up a system for the European Mobility Card will be launched in the summer. The European Disability Forum (EDF) is happy to see the European Union (EU) taking a step closer to the launch of the European Mobility Card. It is a project that EDF has been campaigning for a long time, together with the European Accessibility Act that the disability movement is still waiting for.

Why is the mobility card needed?

The Card will facilitate travelling to another member state for persons with disabilities and it will allow them to receive the same benefits and reductions in the areas of culture, leisure, sport and transport under the conditions offered to people with disabilities of this country. It would have a harmonised design and be based on mutual recognition of existing cards, similar to the EU Parking Card (“Blue Badge”). The issuing of the Card will be responsibility of member states.

Commissioner Thyssen mentioned there is 1.5 million euros available for member states to use for the launch of the Mobility Card that will happen early in 2016. The Commissioner emphasised that free movement is a basic right that everyone should be able to exercise expressing her belief that the Card will be a milestone towards this.

EDF will continue to support the project in the next phases. It calls upon its members to also mobilise their national governments to apply for the funding and adopt the Card as soon as possible.
EDF Vice-President, Gunta Anca, underlined that: “The Mobility Card is a great initiative highlighting the right to freedom of movement for persons with disabilities in the EU. It is very important that every project funded by the EU under this call includes the active involvement of organisations of persons with disabilities. The role of EDF is to work together with the European institutions to promote the Card. EDF members have to do the same with their governments at national level. The Mobility Card has nothing to do with charity. It has to do with respecting the fundamental right of freedom of movement and the right of persons with disabilities to actively participate in society on equal terms with other citizens.”

Time for the Accessibility Act!

Even though EDF welcomes the Mobility Card, it was also underlined that the European Accessibility Act is one of the most important issues to be tackled together with the Card. A Mobility Card can only be really meaningful if goods and services in the EU are accessible to persons with disabilities in the first place and EDF therefore calls for a swift publication of the proposal!

What is Freedom of Movement? Find more about EDF’s campaign!

Full article.