What changed between the draft committee report and the plenary report

Removed:Recital 35: (35) Member States should ensure that adequate and effective means exist to ensure compliance with this Directive and should therefore establish appropriate remedies, including checks on compliance and administrative and judicial procedures, to guarantee that persons with disabilities, person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s), as well as public bodies such as equality bodies or private associations, organisations in particular representative organisations of persons with disabilities or other legal entities which have a legitimate interest may take action on behalf of a person with disabilities under national law. Persons with disabilities should further have a right to redress, including adequate compensation, in case of infringements of their rights arising from this Directive. Member States should ensure these provisions comply with the principle of reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities in their design and implementation.

Added:Recital 29: (29) In order to guarantee that workers and participants of EU mobility programmes with disabilities can effectively exercise their rights to free movement fully and also enjoy services, transport infrastructure, activities and facilities offered by Member States to the holders of national certificates, disability cards or other formal documents recognising disability status, including when provided not for remuneration, the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities also apply to workers including mobile, frontier and cross-border workers with disabilities or participants of EU mobility programmes with disabilities who travel to or visit another Member State for educational or work-related purposes.

Removed:Recital 37: (37) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter and the UNCRPD. Notably, this Directive seeks to ensure full respect for the rights of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community and to promote the application of Article 26 of the Charter.

Added:Recital 30: (30) The envisaged framework for mutual recognition of the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities does not impinge on the competences of a Member State to assess and recognise the disability status and to grant special conditions, such as free access, reduced tariffs or preferential treatment for persons with disabilities and/or person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s). It does not cover social security benefits, social protection or social assistance covered by Article 24(2) of Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council56 . Benefits in the area of social security, social protection or employment and social assistance should be covered in certain instances, either when moving to another Member State for work or study, until disability status has been reassessed and formally recognised, or while participating in EU mobility programmes to allow for the temporary continued recognition of the disability status while persons with disabilities are undergoing the reassessment process to have their disability status recognised by another Member State. The Member State that issued the European Disability Card should be responsible for providing the benefits or assistance in those instances.

Added:Recital 30 a (new): (30a) A European Disability Card can be required as proof of disability status in order to exercise the right to equal access to any special conditions or preferential treatment with respect to services, activities or facilities, including when provided not for remuneration, offered to or reserved for persons with disabilities or persons accompanying or assisting them, including their personal assistants provided for by this Directive. However, a European Disability Card should not be required as proof of disability status by persons with disabilities or persons accompanying or assisting them, including their personal assistants or assistance animals, in order to access or exercise any rights provided for in other Union or national law, including those granting specific benefits, special conditions, or preferential treatment.

Added:Recital 31: (31) In order to raise awareness and facilitate access to special conditions or preferential treatment for persons with disabilities, while travelling to or visiting another Member State, all relevant information with respect to the conditions, rules, practices, and procedures applicable to obtain the European Disability Card and/or the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities and its subsequent use should be made publicly available by Member States in a clear, comprehensive, user-friendly manner and accessible formats for persons with disabilities respecting the relevant accessibility requirements for services established in Annex I to Directive (EU) 2019/882. Private operators or public authorities granting special conditions or preferential treatment to persons with disabilities should make such information publicly available in a clear, comprehensive, user-friendly manner and accessible formats for persons with disabilities, including in digital formats, national and international sign languages and easy to read format, and upon request in assistive formats requested by persons with disabilities respecting the relevant accessibility requirements for services established in Annex I to Directive (EU) 2019/882. Furthermore, to ensure that the relevant information is easy to access and use for persons with disabilities and the public, Member States should designate a National Contact Point as a ‘one-stop shop’ providing information and guidance on the conditions an…

Added:Recital 31 a (new): (31a) The Commission should establish a single dedicated Union website, available in all official languages of the Union institutions and accessible formats, collating national information on obtaining, issuing, using, renewing and withdrawal of a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. In order to strengthen the utility and impact of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities, that Union website should contain information, based on information provided by the Member States, in order to inform persons with disabilities of the different parking conditions and facilities offered for persons with disabilities in each Member State and its regions, cities, and municipalities. The Union website should further contain an accessible digital portal through which Member States’ national websites comprising information on special conditions or preferential treatment offered by their public authorities can be accessed. Member States should update that information regularly, including when changes occur in accordance with national legislation. Member States should also be able to facilitate information concerning the special conditions or preferential treatment offered by private operators on their websites, where available.

Added:Recital 31 b (new): (31b) In order to increase the number of service providers who offer special conditions or preferential treatment for persons with disabilities, Member States should support and encourage private operators and public authorities through relevant measures including through providing information and exchanges of best practice on the different types of special conditions or preferential treatment which could be offered as well as the provision of training on disability mainstreaming and disability awareness to ensure the special conditions or preferential treatment is offered in an inclusive and accessible way. For example such training could address the recognition of relevant symbols where displayed on the European Disability Card indicating the nature of the reasonable accommodation required by persons with disabilities, the accessibility issues faced and relevant assistance required by persons with disabilities including invisible disabilities, requirements of persons with different disabilities concerning communication, respectful and safe management of equipment, use of assistive augmentative communication (AAC) and how to provide and publicise any offer of special conditions or preferential treatments in an accessibly visible way. Member States should ensure all such measures are carried out in partnership with persons with disabilities and their representative organisations to ensure that they are inclusive and effective.

Added:Recital 32: (32) Member States should take all the necessary steps to avoid any risk of forgery or fraud, whether individual or systemic, when issuing the European Disability Card or the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities and should actively combat fraudulent issuance, use and forgery of these cards and exchange information on such cases to ensure mutual trust between Member States as the mutual recognition of disability status is the cornerstone of the European Disability Card. Member States should ensure that any measures taken to combat forgery or fraud take into account the rights of persons with disabilities and should not result in any interference with their legitimate interests in using either card or lead in any way to their stigmatisation. Member States should assess the impact of any measures on persons with disabilities and consult them and their representative organisations in the design and implementation of the measures.

Added:Recital 33: (33) In order to ensure the proper application of this Directive, the power to adopt acts in accordance with Article 290 TFEU should be delegated to the Commission to supplement this Directive by setting the digital format of the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities, and to amend Annexes I and II in order to modify the common features of the standardised format and universal accessibility requirements adapt the format to technical developments, prevent forgery and fraud and ensure interoperability.

Added:Recital 35: (35) Member States should ensure that adequate and effective means exist to ensure compliance with this Directive and should therefore establish appropriate remedies, including checks on compliance and administrative and judicial procedures, to guarantee that persons with disabilities, person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s), as well as public bodies such as equality bodies or private associations, organisations in particular representative organisations of persons with disabilities or other legal entities which have a legitimate interest may take action on behalf of a person with disabilities under national law. Persons with disabilities should also have a right of redress, including adequate compensation, in the case of infringements of their rights arising from this Directive. Member States should ensure that those provisions comply with the principle of reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities in their design and implementation in line with the UNCRPD.

Added:Recital 37: (37) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter and the UNCRPD. Notably, this Directive seeks to ensure full respect for the rights of persons with disabilities to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social, economic and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community and to promote the application of Article 26 of the Charter.

Recital 38: (38) Since the objective of this Directive, namely to strengthen the exercise of the free movement rights of persons with disabilities, and enhance the possibilities for, persons with disabilities to travel to or visit another Member States, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States but can rather, by reason of the scale and effects of the action establishing a framework with rules and common conditions, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Directive does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective,

Change 14

Changed:Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) the rules governing the issuance of the European Disability Card for persons with disabilities as proof of their disability status, in view of promoting equal rights and freedom of movement for persons with disabilities and facilitating short stays of persons with disabilities in a Member State other than that of which they are a resident, by granting them access to any special conditions or preferential treatment with respect to services, activities or facilities, including when provided not for remuneration, offered to or reserved for persons with disabilities orresiding person(s)in that Member State and, where applicable, persons accompanying or assisting them including their personal assistant(s);assistants;

Change 15

Changed:Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point aaa a (new): (aa) the rules governing the issuance of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities as proof of a right to parking conditions and facilities reserved for persons with disabilities, in view of promoting equal rights and freedom of movement for persons with disabilities and facilitating short stays of persons with disabilities in a Member State other than that ofin which they are a resident, by granting them access to any parking conditions and facilities offered to or reserved for persons with disabilities orand person(s)where applicable persons accompanying or assisting them including their personal assistant(s);assistants;

Change 16

Changed:Article 2 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. Paragraph 2 shallBy exceptionallyway notof applyderogation infrom theparagraph following2, time-limitedthis situationsDirective inshall orderapply to ensure equalthe treatmentbenefits and equalsocial opportunitiesassistance betweenreferred nationalto andin otherparagraph Union2, citizenspoints with(b) disabilities:and /(c), a)where: where/ (a) European Disability Card holders move to another Member State to engage in an employment contractwork or enrol in an educational institution until such time as their disability status is re-assessed and formally recognised by the competent authorities in the other Member StateState; orand / b) where(b) a European Disability Card holder participates in an EU mobility programme, for the duration of that programme. / Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that holders of a European Disability Card, while in the situations referred to in this paragraph, are granted access to the benefits and social assistance referred to inparagraph 2, points (b) and (c), by the Member State that issued the European Disability card.

Change 17

Changed:Article 2 – paragraph 5:4: 5.4. This Directive shall be without prejudicedoes tonot theimpinge rightson thatnational personscompetences withto disabilitiesgrant or person(s) accompanying orrequire assistingto them,grant includingspecial theirbenefits personalor assistant(s),specific, maypreferential deriveconditions, fromsuch otheras provisionsfree ofaccess, Unionreduced lawtariffs, or nationalpreferential lawtreatment implementingfor Unionpersons law,with includingdisabilities thoseand, grantingwhere specificprovided, benefits,for specialperson(s) conditions,accompanying or preferential treatment. In this regard, aassisting Europeanthem Disabilityincluding Cardtheir shallpersonal neverassistant(s), beas requiredwell as proof ofassistance disabilityanimals insuch orderas toguide accessdogs or exercise any suchassistance rights.dogs.

Change 18

Removed:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point d: (d) “personal assistant” is a person, whichever the(ir) nationality, accompanying or assisting persons with disabilities, who is recognised in accordance with the national legislation or practices as such;

Added:Article 2 – paragraph 5: 5. This Directive shall be without prejudice to the rights that persons with disabilities or person(s) accompanying or assisting them, including their personal assistant(s), or assistance animals such as guide dogs and assistance dogs may derive from other provisions of Union law or national law implementing Union law, including those granting specific benefits, special conditions, or preferential treatment. A European Disability Card shall not be required as proof of disability in order to access or exercise any of the rights referred to in this paragraph.

Removed:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point e: (e) “special conditions or preferential treatment” means any specific conditions, including those related to financial conditions, or any differentiated treatment related to assistance and support such as free access, reduced tariffs, priority access, offered to persons with disabilities and/or, when applicable, to person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s) or assistance animals recognised in accordance with the national legislation or practices as such, irrespective of whether provided on a voluntary basis or imposed by legal obligations;

Added:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point d: (d) “personal assistant” is a person, whichever their nationality, accompanying or assisting persons with disabilities, who is recognised in accordance with the national legislation or practices as such;

Change 19

Changed:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f:e: (f)(e) “parking“special conditions andor facilities”preferential treatment” means any parking spacespecific reservedconditions, forincluding personsthose withrelated disabilities,to eitherfinancial exclusivelyconditions, or inany general,differentiated astreatment wellrelated to assistance and support such as anyfree associatedaccess, parkingreduced benefitstariffs, for,priority oraccess, preferentialaccess conditionsto affordedrestricted to,traffic zones and pedestrian zones, priority seats in public transports, offered to persons with disabilities,disabilities and/or, when applicable, to person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s), sign language interpreters, or assistance animals. such as freeguide parking,dogs reducedor tariffs,assistance reduceddogs. feesrecognised orin useraccordance chargeswith forthe tollnational roads/bridges/tunnelslegislation or extendedpractices parkingas spacessuch, irrespective of whether provided on a voluntary basis or imposed by legal obligations.obligations;

Change 20

Removed:Article 5 – paragraph 1: 1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that holders of a European Disability Card, while travelling to or visiting a Member State other than that of which they are a resident, shall be granted access on equal terms and conditions as those provided to persons with disabilities who are holders of a disability certificate, disability card or any other formal document recognising their disability status in that Member State, to any special conditions or preferential treatment offered with respect to the services, activities and facilities referred to in Article 2(1) or situations referred to in Article 2(2a).

Added:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f: (f) “parking conditions and facilities” means any parking space reserved for persons with disabilities or where applicable person accompanying or assisting them including personal assistants, either exclusively or in general, as well as any associated parking benefits for, or preferential conditions afforded to, persons with disabilities, such as free parking, reduced tariffs, reduced fees or user charges for toll roads/bridges/tunnels or extended parking spaces irrespective of whether provided on a voluntary basis or imposed by legal obligations.

Removed:Article 6 – paragraph 1: 1. Each Member State shall introduce the European Disability Card following the common standardised and accessible format set out in Annex I. Member States shall introduce digital features in physical cards using electronic means addressing fraud-prevention as part of the European Disability Card, as soon as the requirements concerning the digital features referred to in Annex I, are laid down by the Commission in the technical specifications referred to in Article 8. The digital storage medium shall not contain more personal data than the data provided for the European Disability Card in Annex I.

Added:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f a (new): (fa) “reasonable accommodation” means necessary and appropriate modification and adjustments that do not impose a disproportionate or undue burden, where needed in a particular case, to ensure to persons with disabilities the enjoyment or exercise on an equal basis with others of all human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rights provided for in this Directive;

Removed:Article 6 – paragraph 4: 4. The European Disability Card shall be issued or renewed by the Member State of residence directly where already provided for in the national disability assessment and recognition procedure, or upon application by the person with disabilities. It shall be issued and renewed free of charge for the beneficiary and within a reasonable period from the date of the application which shall not exceed either 60 days or the period set in the applicable national legislation for issuing disability certificates, disability cards or any other formal document recognising the disability status of a person with disabilities whichever is shorter.

Added:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point f b (new): (fb) “EU mobility programme” means a Union programme that supports natural persons moving to another Member State for an educational, training, professional, civic or cultural purpose or a combination thereof for a fixed period.

Removed:Article 6 – paragraph 4 a (new): 4a. Member States shall ensure that persons with disabilities, or designated representatives acting on their behalf and with their approval, may appeal a decision by the competent authorities regarding the issuance, renewal or withdrawal of a European Disability Card.

Added:Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) Union citizens and family members of Union citizens whose disability status is recognised by the competent authorities in the Member State of their residence by means of a certificate, a card or any other formal document issued in accordance with national competences, practices, and procedures, as well as, when applicable, to person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s) and sign language interpreters;

Removed:Article 6 – paragraph 7: 7. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 11 to supplement this Directive in order to set the digital format of the European Disability Card and ensure interoperability, and to amend Annex I in order to modify the common features of the standardised and accessible format, adapt the format to technical developments, introduce digital features in order to prevent forgery and fraud, address abuse or misuse and ensure interoperability.

Added:Article 5 – paragraph 3 – point a: (a) when special conditions or preferential treatment referred to in paragraph 1 of this Article include favourable conditions for person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s) or specific conditions for assistance animals, these favourable or specific conditions are granted on equal terms and conditions to the person(s) accompanying or assisting them, including personal assistant(s) or assistance animals such as guide or assistance dogs of the holder of a European Disability Card;

Change 21

Changed:Article 76 – paragraph 1: 1. Each Member State shall introduce the European ParkingDisability Card for persons with disabilities following the common standardised format and accessibleuniversal formataccessibility requirements set out in Annex II.I. Member States shall introduce digital features in physical cards using electronic means addressing fraud-prevention as part of the European Parking Card for persons withDisability disabilities,Card, as soon as the requirements concerning the digital features referred to in Annex II,I, are laid down by the Commission in the technical specifications referred to in Article 8. The digital storage medium shall not contain more personal data than the data provided for the European Disability Card in Annex II.I.

Change 22

Changed:Article 76 – paragraph 4: 4.2: The2. European ParkingDisability CardCards forissued personsby withMember disabilitiesStates shall be issued ormutually renewedrecognised byin theall Member State of residence uponStates applicationand byshall thebe personcompatible with disabilities. Itany shallcertificate, bedisability issuedcard or renewedany freeother offormal chargedocument for the beneficiary and within a reasonable period from the datepersons ofwith thedisabilities applicationissued whichat shallnational, notregional exceedor 60local days.level.

Change 23

Removed:Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new): 4a. Member States shall ensure that persons with disabilities, or designated representatives acting on their behalf and with their approval, may appeal a decision by the competent authorities regarding the issuance, renewal or withdrawal of a European Parking Card.

Added:Article 6 – paragraph 4: 4. The European Disability Card shall be issued or renewed by the Member State of residence directly where already provided for in the national disability assessment and recognition procedure or upon application by the person with disabilities. Persons with disabilities shall be duly informed about the possibility to apply for the European Disability Card where it is not issued directly. It shall be issued and renewed free of charge to the beneficiary and within either 60 days or within the period set in the applicable national legislation for issuing disability certificates, disability cards or any other formal document recognising the disability status of a person with disabilities whichever is shorter.

Removed:Article 7 – paragraph 7: 7. The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 11 to supplement the Directive in order to set the digital format of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities and ensure interoperability, including through the development and deployment of digital tools, and to amend Annex II in order to modify the common features of the standardised and accessible format, adapt the format to technical developments, prevent forgery and fraud, address abuse or misuse and ensure interoperability, including through the development and deployment of digital tools.

Added:Article 6 – paragraph 4 a (new): 4a. Member States shall ensure that persons with disabilities, or designated representatives acting on their behalf and with their or their legal guardian´s approval, are able to appeal against a decision by the competent authorities regarding the issuance, renewal or withdrawal of a European Disability Card in accordance with national law and practice.

Removed:Article 7 – paragraph 7 a (new): 7a. The Commission shall establish a publicly available Union database that contains relevant information related to the applicable parking conditions and facilities as defined at local, regional, or national level in each Member State. The database shall be available in all EU languages and in accessible formats. Member States shall ensure public authorities upload this information to the database and update it where necessary.

Added:Article 6 – paragraph 5: 5. The European Disability Card shall be issued as a physical card and shall be complemented by a digital format upon adoption of the delegated acts referred to in paragraph 7. Persons with disabilities shall be given the option to use, on an equal footing, either the digital or physical card, or both.

Added:Article 6 – paragraph 6: 6. The validity of the European Disability Card issued by a Member State shall be at least for the same duration as that of the national disability certificate, disability card or any other formal document with the longest duration recognising their disability status issued to the person concerned by the competent authority of the Member State in its territory.

Added:Article 6 – paragraph 7: 7. By ... [12 months from the date of entry into force of this Directive], the Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 11 supplementing this Directive by setting the digital format of the European Disability Card and ensure interoperability. / The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 11 to amend Annex I in order to modify the common features of the standardised format and universal accessibility requirements, adapt the format to technical developments, introduce digital features in order to prevent forgery and fraud, address abuse or misuse and ensure accessibility and interoperability.

Added:Article 7 – paragraph 1: 1. Each Member State shall introduce the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities following the common standardised format and universal accessibility requirements set out in Annex II. Member States shall introduce digital features in physical cards using electronic means addressing fraud-prevention as part of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities, as soon as the requirements concerning the digital features referred to in Annex II, are laid down by the Commission in the technical specifications referred to in Article 8. The digital storage medium shall not contain more personal data than the data provided for the European Parking Card in Annex II.

Added:Article 7 – paragraph 4: 4. The European Parking Card for persons with disabilities shall be issued or renewed by the Member State of residence upon application by the person with disabilities. It shall be issued or renewed free of charge to the beneficiary and within a reasonable period from the date of the application which shall not exceed 30 days. Persons with disabilities shall, however, have the right to request to have the digital version of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities available within 15 days of an application by the person with disabilities.

Added:Article 7 – paragraph 4 a (new): 4a. Member States shall ensure that persons with disabilities, or designated representatives acting on their behalf and with their or their legal guardian´s approval, may appeal against a decision by the competent authorities regarding the issuance, renewal or withdrawal of a European Parking Card in accordance with national law and practice.

Added:Article 7 – paragraph 5: 5. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities replaces all existing valid parking cards, issued in accordance with the Council Recommendation on parking cards for persons with disabilities58 at national, regional or local level upon the European Parking Card’s issuance, and in any event at the latest by dd/mm/yy [date of application of this Directive.

Added:Article 7 – paragraph 6: 6. The European Parking Card for persons with disabilities shall be issued or renewed as a physical card and shall be complemented by a digital format upon adoption of the delegated acts referred to in paragraph 7. Persons with disabilities shall be given the option to use, on an equal footing, either the digital or physical card, or both.

Added:Article 7 – paragraph 7: 7. By ... [12 months from the date of entry into force of this Directive], the Commission shall adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 11 supplementing the Directive by setting the digital format of the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities and ensure interoperability, including through the development and deployment of digital tools. / The Commission is empowered to adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 11, to amend Annex II in order to modify the common features of the standardised format and universal accessibility requirements, adapt the format to technical developments, prevent forgery and fraud, address abuse or misuse and ensure interoperability, including through the development and deployment of digital tools.

Added:Article 7 a (new): Article 7a / Provisions for card holders when changing residence / 1. Member States shall ensure that the holders of European Disability Cards or European Parking Cards for persons with disabilities who have changed their Member State of residence, and who await issuance of a national disability card, certificate or any other formal document recognising their disability status by the competent authorities in that Member State, are guaranteed the rights provided for in this Directive during that period. The European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities issued by the Member State of last residence shall be valid until the new national disability card, certificate or any other formal document recognising the disability status of the holder has been issued. / 2. Member States shall ensure that the process of re-assessment and recognition of disability status, and any subsequent issuing of a new European Disability Card or European Parking Card for persons with disabilities, is carried out within a reasonable period of time and in an efficient manner.

Added:Article 8 – paragraph 2: 2. Those implementing acts shall be adopted by ... [12 months from the date of entry into force of this Directive], in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 12(2).

Article 9 – title: Surveillance and compliance

Article 9 – paragraph 1: deleted

Article 9 – paragraph 2: deleted

Change 24

Changed:Article 9 – paragraph 33: –3. subparagraphMember 1States ashall (new):take Anyall measuresnecessary takensteps to avoid the risk of forgery or fraud shall have due regard and considerationshall toactively thecombat, rightsthoroughly ofinvestigate personsand, withwhere disabilitiesrelevant, andprovide shallfor notadministrative resultor injudicial anyproceedings interferenceto withaddress the legitimate interestsfraudulent ofissuance, personsuse withand disabilitiesforgery inof the use ofEuropean eitherDisability cardCard orand leadEuropean inParking anyCard wayfor topersons theirwith stigmatisation.disabilities.

Change 25

Changed:Article 9 – paragraph 4: 4.3 Member– Statessubparagraph shall1 takea the(new): necessaryAny measures taken to ensureavoid thatthe holdersrisk of a Europeanforgery Disabilityor Cardfraud orshall Europeanrespect Parkingthe Cardrights forof persons with disabilities returnand theirshall cardsnot toresult thein competentany authorityinterference shouldwith the conditionslegitimate underinterests whichof theypersons werewith issueddisabilities noin longertheir beaccess fulfilled.to or use of either card or lead in any way to their stigmatisation.

Change 26

Added:Article 9 – paragraph 4: 4. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that holders of a European Disability Card or European Parking Card for persons with disabilities return their cards to the competent authority in the event that the conditions under which they were issued are no longer fulfilled.

Added:Article 9 – paragraph 5: 5. Member States shall take the necessary measures to ensure that in case they encounter cases of abuse or misuse of the cards issued by another Member State on their territory, the competent authorities in the Member State who issued the European Disability Card or European Parking Card for persons with disabilities are informed. The Member State of issuance shall ensure appropriate follow-up in accordance with national law or practice. Member States shall exchange information with regard to abuse or misuse of the cards.

Article 9 – paragraph 7: deleted

Change 27

Changed:Article 9 a (new): Article 9a / Accessibility of information and awareness raising / 1. Member States shall makeprovide thefor conditions and rules, practices, and procedures to issue, renew or withdraw a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card for persons with disabilities publicly available in accessible formats, including in digital formats, national and international sign languageslanguages, braille and easyeasy-to-read toand readaudio format,formats, and uponin requestother inalternative assistive formats requestedupon bythe request of persons with disabilities. / 2. Member States shall take appropriate measures to raise awareness among the public, in particular to public authorities and informprivate operators having the potential to offer special conditions, preferential treatment and parking conditions and facilities for persons with disabilities,disabilities pursuant to Article 5 and other relevant stakeholders including representative organisations of persons with disabilities, and inform persons with disabilities, in accessible ways, about the existence and conditions to obtain, use, or renew the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. The Commission shall undertake a European awareness raising campaign in cooperation with the Member States. / 3. The information referred to in paragraphparagraphs 1 and 2 of this Article shall be made available free of charge in a clear, comprehensive, user-friendly and easily accessible way, including through private operators’ or public authorities’ official website where available, or by other suitable means, in accordance with the relevant accessibility requirements for services set in Annex I of Directive (EU) 2019/882. The Commission shall collate this information from Member States on a single dedicated Union website. / 4. The information referred to in paragraph 1 andofficial 2websites of this Article shallprivate beoperators easilyor understandable,public withoutauthorities exc…wh…

Change 28

Removed:Article 11 – paragraph 4: 4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making as well as persons with disabilities and their representative organisations.