COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 15.12.1995 
COM(95) 696 final 
95/0353 (SYN) 
DRAFT COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON A 
PARKING CARD FOR DISABLED. PERSONS 
(presented by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1 In its medium-term social action programme (1995-97) (COM(95) 134 final of 
12 April 1995), the Commission undertook, in section 6.33, to present a 
recommendation on the reciprocal recognition of parking cards for disabled 
persons with a view to facilitating their freedom of movement. 
2 - The question of parking cards for disabled persons was previously addressed by 
the Council of Transport Ministers in a recommendation of 6 December 1977 
emanating from the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT)1, . 
calling for: 
- parking facilities to be provided for disabled people; • 
- appropriate parking cards giving entitlement to such facilities to be issued; 
holders^of parking cards from other member countries (of the ECMT) to 
be granted the same parking facilities as nationals of the country 
concerned, and 
. ' .-. the necessary arrangements to be made, with these measures in mind, for 
the reciprocal recognition of parking cards. 
Experience has shown, however, that numerous practical problems are encountered 
in spite ofjthis recommendation, owing mainly to the lack of a standardised 
format for\ national parking cards, combined with comprehension difficulties 
arising from the variety of languages/involved. 
3 •". Against this background, the ECMT commissioned a progress report on the 
implementation of the 1977 recommendation. This report was completed in July 
1995 with the title "Towards a common European parking badge for motorists 
with disabilities". It makes it clear that, in addition to the problems already 
mentioned, the main difficulty lies in the fact that, while most member countries 
of the ECMT are generally tolerant of parking cards for disabled people from 
other countries, there are no formal arrangements. A. disabled person therefore has 
no way of knowing whether a national parking card will be accepted in a given 
situation in; another country, and the absence of any formal agreement makes it 
impossible for such persons to assert their rights in cases of doubt. 
4 The report therefore comes to the conclusion that the introduction of a European 
parking card for disabled persons is the appropriate instrument to give, those 
concerned the right to use it to avail themselves of the special local parking 
facilities provided in the various countries. 
The European Conference of Ministers of Transport is an organisation of government representatives 
which was set up on the strength of a protocol signed in Brussels on 17 October 1953. The Conference 
Council brings together the transport ministers from 31 European countries. 
A 
5 The Commission is thus intent on putting forward an appropriate recommendation 
for the introduction of a parking card which can be easily administered. 
n. THE COMMISSION'S POSITION 
6 This proposal supplements the Community provisions in respect of a common 
transport policy aimed at improving road traffic safety, which includes the public 
parking of cars. Parking arrangements fall within the scope of transport policy. 
Parking facilities for disabled people take account of their special requirements 
stemming from reduced mobility and thus contribute to road traffic safety. 
Thé goal of road traffic safety can be further pursued by making it possible for 
disabled people who travel abroad to avail themselves of the special local parking 
facilities provided, using a standardised card based on a Community model which 
is recognised throughout the Union, thereby making parking easier for disabled 
people who are not citizens of the country concerned. -
7 Having regard to the principle of subsidiarity, the recommendation aims only to 
standardise the format of-the paricing caccLfondisabled persons and to ensure its 
reciprocal recognition. There is to be no interference as regards national rules 
governing the issue of such cards or the parking facilities to which they give 
entitlement. 
Such rules differ from one Member State to another, and a move towards uniform 
parking arrangements would be of great practical benefit to the disabled persons 
concerned. In this connection, the Commission also .considers it possible to 
provide disabled people with information on the respective local parking facilities 
available in the Member States of the European Union. Appropriate steps are to 
be taken after presentation of the.recommendation. 
8 The recommendation is intended to standardise the format of parking cards for 
disabled persons and to ensure their reciprocal recognition. The idea is not to 
introduce a European parking card; on the contrary, parking-cards will retain their 
national status, although they are to be designed on the basis of the European 
Communities model, as is the case with driving licences (cf. Council Directive 
91/439/EEC of 29 July 199.1 on driving licences, OJ No L 237 of 24.8.1991, 
p. 1). Consequently, reciprocal recognition is necessary to ensure that a card 
issued in one country can be used in the other EU Member States without having 
to be exchanged or applied for anew. 
.9 A standardised format makes the card readily recognisable. Previous difficulties 
arising from the variety of existing cards will be overcome. The proposed 
. designation on the front of the card in all the official languages of the EU, as with 
driving licences, will also.clear up any linguistic misunderstanding. Use of the 
Community-model parking card, with reciprocal recognition by the Member 
States, will facilitate parking throughout the EU for the disabled persons 
concerned. 
10 The Commission takes the view that at the same time this will help to promote 
the integration of disabled people in both occupational and social terms. 
Opportunities for travelling to other countries by car, e.g. as tourists, will be 
enhanced. 
11 The draft recommendation has arisen out of a process of wide-ranging 
consultation among the Member States and non-governmental organisations, 
involving the consultative bodies of the HELIOS II programme, namely the 
Advisory Committee (government representatives of the Member States) and the 
European Disability Forum (representatives of European non-governmental 
organisations, national disability councils or non-governmental organisations and 
the social partners), which were consulted in September 1995;'the HELIOS 
. Working Party on Mobility and Transport (government representatives plus one 
non-governmental organisation) was consulted in October 1995. Consultation also 
took place, in November 1995, with the ECMt's ad-hoc working party on the 
transport of persons with reduced mobility-. 
The Commission's initiative has been generally welcomed, with broad agreement 
berngTeached:on the content of the recom mendati on and, for the most part, on the 
format of the parking card as set out in the recommendation. 
EL THE SITUATION IN THE MEMBER STATES 
12 A national parking card"for disabled people is available in all the Member States. 
Spain has a number of regional variations. 
» •*•*". * 
Most of ttfe national parking cards for disabled persons show the internationally 
recognised wheelchair-user symbol of accessibility, along with the name of the 
holder, the stamp of the issuing authority and the period of validity. 
13 The parking facilities associated with the card are similar, entailing, for instance, 
parking of unlimited or extended duration, or exemption from stopping/parking 
prohibitions, with due regard for road traffic safety. The exact situation differs 
from country to country, though (and in some cases from region to region and 
from town to town). 
This makes it necessary to provide disabled persons with accurate information on 
the parking facilities available in each country. 
14 Under certain conditions, various Member States already operate a system of 
reciprocal recognition of parking cards for disabled persons, with formal 
arrangements laid down in some cases. However, the lack of standardisation 
causes considerable uncertainty as to the use of such cards among persons 
travelling abroad. 
IV. PRESENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATION 
A. Legal basis 
15 The recommendation aims to improve road traffic safety by making it possible for 
disabled people to avail themselves of the special local parking facilities provided, using 
a reciprocally recognised parking card of standardised format; Article 75(l)(c). 
B. Provisions 
16 Point 1 advocates the introduction of a national parking card for disabled persons based 
on a standardised Community model. 
Point 2 goes on to recommend that such "a card be recognised on a reciprocal basis so that 
the holder of the card may benefit from the associated parking facilities granted by the 
respective Member States. 
In Point 3 it is proposed that the Member States should issue the parking sard only to 
disabled persons with reduced" mobility. The reason for this is that the parking facilities 
are intended to compensate for disabled people's reduced mobility by enabling them to 
park their car as near to their destination as possible. 
Point 4 proposes 1 January 1998 as the,deadline for implementing the recommended 
measures. The intervening period gives the Member States enough time to take the 
necessary steps. 
• Accordingly, the Commission recommends, under Point J, that the Member States should, 
by 1 Marcrwi998, furnish a report on the measures taken. These reports will also play a 
part in gauging the extent to vvhith the disabled persons concerned have to be informed 
about the various parking facilities in the Member States which can be obtained using the 
reciprocally recognised, standardised parking card. 
17 Annex 
The Annex describes the format of the Community-model parking card for disabled 
persons, which is based both on existing national cards and on the~above-mentioned 
Directive on driving licences. 
Point A: 
The card is the same size as a number of existing nationalcards and is two-thirds the size 
of the Community-model driving licence. The format chosen affords sufficient space for 
inserting the necessary details cleariy. 
Point B: 
Blue was chosen as the colour because it is frequently used in connection with: the 
stylised wheelchair-user symbol of accessibility, and is already used for certain national 
parking cards (e.g.. in Belgium, Portugal and Luxembourg). 
Point C: 
The parking card is to be plastic-coated both to protect it and for security reasons, making 
it more difficult to forge. Only the space reserved for the holder's signature will not be 
plastic-coated, as is the case with cheque and credit cards. This avoids the need for the 
disabled person to go to the issuing authority before the card is plastic-coated. He or she 
can sign the parking card subsequently. , 
Point D: 
This point describes the exact content and positioning of the text and other details shown 
on the parking card. 
The front of the card contains all the elements necessary for recognition: the wheelchair-
user symbol, designation in all the official languages of the European Union, period of 
validity, name and stamp of the issuing authority validating the document. As with 
driving licences, provision is made for the national distinguishing code of the respective 
Member States to be affixed; surrounded by the ring of 12 stars symbolising the European 
Union, with express mention being made of the fact that it is a European Communities 
model. 
In view of the fact that, in some Member States, the parking card is linked to the 
registration number of the holder's vehicle, the registration number may, if required, also 
be shown on the front of the card. 
It is not deemed necessary to include any other details on the front of the parking card 
for purposes of recognition. 
The reverse of the card contains data which will identify the authorised holder, namely 
surname, forename(s), date of birth, address and signature. 
'••••• A ... ' •• ' ' •• • '•"'• •'V '•' ' ••' •• •••• '••••••' 
Also shown on the reverse are the basic conditions of use which, irrespective of specific 
national rules, apply to all parking cards based on the Community model, namely: 
- an explanatory statement to the effect that the parking card, when in use, i.e. 
when the authorised holder wishes to take advantage of the associated parking 
facilities, must be positioned in such a way as to be clearly visible for checking 
purposes; 
- a statement to the effect that the parking card gives entitlement only to the special 
local parking facilities available in the Member State concerned, as opposed to 
such parking facilities as may be available in the person's country of origin. 
Point E: 
This point deals with linguistic requirements applying to the parking card; corresponding 
to those for the Community-model driving licence. 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
DRAFT COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON A 
PARKING CARD FOR DISABLED PERSONS 
The Council of the European Union, „ 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing-the-Eu,ropean Community,; and in particular 
Article 75(l)(c) thereof, 
Having regard to the proposal for a recommendation submitted by the Commission, 
In cooperation wirh the European Parliament1, 
Having regardto.the opinion of the Economic andSocial Committee2, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions3, 
Whereas the reciprocal recognition of a parking card for disabled persons based on a 
standardised Community model was advocated by the Commission in its communication 
on a medium-term social action programme (1995-97), forwarded to the Council, the 
European Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the 
Regions on 12 April 19954, and also in its report of .26 November 1993 to the Council 
on the measures to be taken in the Community regarding the accessibility of transport to 
persons with reduced mobility5; 
Whereas it is stated in Title I, section 26 of the Community Charter of the Fundamental 
Social Rights of Workers that all disabled persons, whatever thé origin and nature of their 
disablement, should be entitled to additional concrete measures aimed at improving their 
COM(95) 134 
COM(93) 433 
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Telephone: direct line (+32-2)2955039, exchange 299.11.11. Fax: 2951012. 
Telex: COMEU B 21877. Telegraphic address: COMEUR Brussels. 
social and occupational integration; whereas such.measures should concern, in particular, 
according to the capacities of the beneficiaries, accessibility, mobility and means of 
transport; 
Whereas a private car constitutes, for many disabled people who are unable to use public 
transport, the only means of getting about independently for purposes of occupational and 
social integration; whereas, in certain circumstances and with due regard to road safety, 
it is only right that disabled persons should be enabled, by means of a designated parking . 
card, to park their car as hear to their destination as possible; whereas disabled people 
should thus have the opportunity to avail themselves of the facilities provided by the said 
parking card throughout the European Community in accordance with the. national rules 
applying in the respective countries; y 
Whereasr in view of the fact that parking cards for disabled persons may come within the 
remit of regional authorities» the Committee of the Regions should be consulted; 
Whereas, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, Community action is necessary 
to ensure that parking cards for disabled persons are readily recognised on a reciprocal 
basis and to facilitate freedom of movement for disabled people, enabling them also to 
participate in tourist activities, thereby avoiding thé practical problems which divergent 
national models may present for disabled people and supervisory officials; 
Whereas, for the purposes of the common transport policy and with a view to helping to 
improve road traffic safety, which includes car parking, it is desirable that there should 
be a Community^model parking card for disabled persons recognised reciprocally by the 
Member States, 
Hereby recommends the Member States to:; 
1. introduce a national parking card for disabled persons, issued in accordance with 
the respective national provisions, on the basis of the standardised Community 
model described in the Annex; 
2; recognise reciprocally the parking cards for disabled persons introduced by each 
Member ^tate in accordance with the standardised Community model, so that the 
holder of the card may benefit from the associated parking facilities available in 
the respective countries; 
3. issue the parking card only to disabled persons^ with reduced mobility; 
4. take the necessary steps to ensure that the parking cards for disabled persons based 
on the standardised Community model, and the arrangements for reciprocal 
recognition, are introduced by 1 January 1908 at the latest; 
5. inform the Commission, by 1 March 1998, of the measures taken pursuant to this 
Tecommendation. 
Done at Brussels, 
For the Council 
ANNEX 
PROVISIONS CONCERNING THE COMMUNITY-MODEL 
PARKING CARD FOR DISABLED PERSONS 
A. The overall dimensions of the parking card for disabled persons as per the 
Community model shall be: 
- height: 106 mm; v 
width: 148 mm. 
B. The colour of the parking card shall be light blue, except for the white 
wheelchair-user symbol which shall have a dark blue background. 
C. The parking card for disabled persons shall be plastic-coated, with.the exception 
of the space reserved for the holder's signature on the left-hand side of the 
reverse. 
D. The parking card for disabled persons.shall be divided vertically into two halves 
on bothr the front and reverse. 
— -<' . • •. 
The left^and side of the front shall contain: 
- the wheelchair-user symbol in white on a dark blue background; 
- the period of validity of the parking card; 
- the serial number of the parking card; 
- the name and stamp of the issuing authority/organisation; 
- optional: the vehicle registration* number. 
The right-hand side of the front shall contain: 
- in capital letters, the words "Parking card for disabled persons" in the 
language(s) of the Member State issuing the card. After a suitable space, 
the words "Parking card" shall appear in capital letters/small type in the 
other languages of the European Union; 
- the words "European Communities model" in the language(s) of the 
Member State issuing the parking card; 
as background, the distinguishing code of the Member State issuing the 
parking card, as follows: 
B: Belgium I: Italy 
DK: Denmark L: Luxembourg 
D: Germany NL: Netherlands 
GR: Greece A: Austria 
E: Spain P: Portugal 
F: France FIN: Finland 
IRL: Ireland S: Sweden 
UK: United Kingdom, 
surrounded by the ring of 12 stars symbolising the European Union. 
The left-hand side of the reverse shall contain: 
1. the holder's surname; 
2. the holder's,forename(s); 
3. the holder's date of birth; 
4. the holder's address; 
5. the holder's signature. 
The rightrhand side of the reverse shall contain: 
1. the statement: 
"This card gives entitlement to the special local parking facilities available 
in the Member State concerned."; 
2. the statement: 
"When in use,, the card is to be affixed to the inside of the windscreen or, 
in the absence of a windscreen, to the front of the vehicle in such a way 
that the front of the card is clearly and wholly visible.". 
With the exception of the right-hand side of the front, entries shall be shown in 
the language(s) of the Member State issuing the parking card. 
If a Member State wishes to make the entries in a national language other than 
one of the following: Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, 
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, it shall draw up a bilingual version of the 
parking card using one of the eleven aforementioned languages, without prejudice 
to the other provisions of this Annex. 



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COM(95) 696 final 
DOCUMENTS 
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