People with disabilities: EC parking card

The rapporteur, Mr Megahy (PSE, UK), outlined the reason behind the most important amendments, which by and large sought to ensure that disabled persons would enjoy the same degree of mobility as other citizens of the European Union. He referred in particular to the proposal for the introduction of a European parking card for disabled persons that could be used in parallel with similar cards already in use at national level; such a system would rationalise costs and prevent similar cards being put into circulation by all the Member States. As far as the content of the card was concerned, this should contain sufficient information to prevent abuse but should not provide data that could put the holder at risk of being mugged or attacked. For this reason the card would contain a photograph, though this should not be too visible, but would not feature the holder’s address or the registration number of the holder’s vehicle. Finally, it would be useful if a list of parking areas throughout the Community with facilities for the disabled were to be sent out to the user at the same time as the parking card. Commissioner Flynn stated that he could accept Amendments Nos 1, 2, 6, 8, 9 and 10, which would improve the wording of the document; however, he rejected Amendments Nos 3, 4, 5 and 7, mainly because the new parking card, rather than being a European Community card, should be a document issued by the national, regional or local authorities in accordance with a uniform model drawn up by the Community.