COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
Brussels, 04.03.1997 
COM(97) 76 final 
95/ 0353 (SYN) 
Amended proposal for a 
COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION 
on a 
parking card for people with disabilities 
(presented by the Commission pursuant to Article 189 a(2) 
of the EC Treaty) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
Following the opinion of the European Parliament at the first reading on 13 
December 1996, the Commission presents to the Council, pursuant to article 189A 
paragraph 2 of the EC-Treaty, an amended proposal for the recommendation. The 
amended text covers in principle the following types of amendments: 
- throughout the whole text the term "disabled people" or disabled persons" 
has been replaced by "people with disabilities" in order to conform with the 
terminology used by the Commission since the adoption of the 
"Communication on Equality of opportunity for People with Disabilities" 
(COM(96) 406 final of 30 July 1996); 
- some amendments or additional texts aim at clarifying the text; 
- one amendment makes explicit the use of the European model parking card 
in relation to the already existing parking cards; 
- some amendments concern the indications to be put on the reverse side of 
the parking card; 
- due to the lengthy nature of the co-operation procedure the dates of 
application and information have been amended to facilitate Member Sates; 
Nevertheless, the amended proposal of the Commission keeps to the structure and 
the objectives of the initial proposal, but develops and clarifies some of the 
provisions. 
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ORIGINAL PROPOSAL AMENDED PROPOSAL 
(The original text remains unchanged 
unless there is an entry in this column) 
Draft Council Recommendation on a parking 
card for disabled persons 
The Council of the European Union, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the 
European Community, and in particular Article 
75(1 )(c) thereof, 
Having regard to the draft for a recommendation 
submitted by the Commission, 
In co-operation with the European Parliament1, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic 
and Social 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 (1995-1997), 
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 the origin and nature of their 
disablement, should be entitled to additional 
concrete measures aimed at improving their 
social and occupational integration; whereas such 
measures should concern, in particular, according 
to the capacities of the beneficiaries, accessibility, 
mobility and means of transport; Proposal for a Council Recommendation on a 
parking card for people with disabilities 
Having regard to the proposal for a 
recommendation submitted by the Commission, 
Whereas the reciprocal recognition of a parking 
card for people with disabilities based on a 
standardised Community model was advocated by 
the Commission in its communication on a 
medium term social action programme (1995-
1997), forwarded to the Council, the European 
Parliament, the Economic and Social Committee 
and the Committee of the Regions on 12 April 
1995, 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 mobility; 
Whereas it is stated in Title I, section 26 of the 
Community Charter of the Fundamental Social 
Rights of Workers that all people with 
disabilities, whatever the origin and nature of 
their disablement, should be entitled to additional 
concrete measures aimed at improving their 
social and occupational integration; whereas such 
measures should concern, in particular, according 
to the capacities of the beneficiaries, accessibility, 
mobility and means of transport; 
4 COM(95) 134 
5 COM(93) 433 
i 6 
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 near 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; 
Whereas, 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 the 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 Whereas a private car constitutes, for mimy 
people with disabilities 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 people with disabilities should 
be enabled, by means of a designated parking 
card, to park their car as near to their destination 
as possible; whereas people with disabilities 
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; 
Whereas, in view of the fact that parking cards 
for people with disabilities 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 people with 
disabilities are readily recognised on a reciprocal 
basis and to facilitate freedom of movement for 
people with disabilities enabling them also to 
participate in tourist activities, thereby avoiding 
the practical problems which divergent national 
models may present fat people with disabilities 
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 people with 
disabilities recognised reciprocally by the 
Member States, 
Whereas the ECMT is a wider framework than 
the Union within which positive action has 
already been taken to encourage the provision 
and reciprocal recognition of parking cards for 
people with disabilities (ECMT-recommendation 
of 6 December 1977); whereas the progress 
report relating to this recommendation and many 
other reactions are in favour of further 
promotion and reciprocal recognition of national 
parking cards for persons with reduced mobility; 
Whereas there must be full information provided 
to cardholders on facilities available for them in 
Member States; 
Hereby recommends the Member States to: 
1. introduce a parking card for people with 
disabled persons, issued in accordance 
with the respective national provisions, on 
the basis of the standardised Community 
model described in the Annex; 
recognise reciprocally the parking cards 
for disabled persons introduced by each 
Member State 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; 
issue the parking card only to disabled 
persons with reduced mobility; 
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 
1998 at the latest; 
inform the Commission, by 1 March 1998, 
of the measures taken pursuant to this 
recommendation. disabilities, issued in accordance with the 
respective national provisions, on the basis 
of the standardised Community model 
described in the Annex, which may be 
used in parallel with the existing national 
or regional parking cards within a 
transition phase to be fixed by the 
Member States; 
2. recognise reciprocally the parking cards 
for people with disabilities introduced by 
each Member State 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 people with 
reduced mobility resulting from physical 
(including sensory), mental or 
psychological impairments; 
3a issue an overview of the national parking 
concessions of the EU Member States 
when issuing a parking card; 
4. take the necessary steps to ensure that the 
parking cards for people with disabilities 
based on the standardised Community 
model, and the arrangements for 
reciprocal recognition, are introduced by 1 
January 1999 at the latest; 
5. inform the Commission, by 1 March 1999, 
of the measures taken pursuant to this 
recommendation. 
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, 
- width: 148 mm. Provisions concerning the community-model 
parking card for people with disabilities 
A. The overall dimensions of the parking 
card for people with disabilities as per the 
Community model shall be: 
- height: 106 mm, 
- 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. 
The parking card for disabled persons C. The parking card for people with 
shall be plastic-coated, with the exception 
of the space reserved for the holder's 
signature on the left-hand side of the 
reverse. disabilities 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 both the front and reverse. D. The parking card for people with 
disabilities shall be divided vertically into 
two halves on both the front and reverse. 
The left-hand side of the front shall 
contain: The left-hand side of the front shall 
contain: 
the wheel-chair 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 wheel-chair 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; 
The right-hand side of the front shall 
contain: 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 card; 
- as background, the distinguishing code 
of the Member State issuing the parking 
card, as follows: 
B: Belgium 
DK: Denmark 
D: Germany 
GR: Greece 
E: Spain 
F: France 
JUL: Ireland I: 
L: 
NL: 
A: 
P: 
FIN: 
S: 
UK: Italy 
Luxembourg 
Netherlands 
Austria 
Portugal 
Finland 
Sweden 
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; in capital letters, the words "Parking 
card for people with disabilities" 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 left-hand side of the reverse shall 
contain: 
1. the holder's surname: 
2. the holder's forename(s); 
3. the holder's signature or other 
4. the holder's address; 
5. the holder's signature. 
The right-hand 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"; authorised mark; 
4. the holder'sphotograph. 
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 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. 2. the statement: 
"When in use, the card is to be 
displayed at the front of the vehicle in 
such a way that only the front of the 
card is clearly visible for checking 
purposes". 
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ISSN 0254-1475 
COM(97) 76 final 
DOCUMENTS 
EN 05 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-97-068-EN-C 
ISBN 92-78-16252-3 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg 
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