Activities of Elżbieta RAFALSKA related to 2023/0311(COD)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities
Amendments (16)
Amendment 92 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 10
Recital 10
(10) Due to the lack of recognition of disability status between Member States, persons with disabilities may face specific difficulties when exercising their fundamental rights of free movement. The definitions of disability and the criteria used to assess disability in the Member States are closely linked to the social security system in place in each country, which determines access to, for example, a protected labour market or benefits for persons with disabilities and their carers.
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 14 a (new)
Recital 14 a (new)
(14 a) In view of both demographic changes and the need to increase the mobility of persons with disabilities, Member States should increase measures aimed at improving the accessibility of public spaces and infrastructure and adjusting them to the needs of persons with disabilities.
Amendment 112 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Alongside physical and other barriers in accessing both public and private spaces, high expenses are a key factor discouraging many persons with disabilities from travel48 , because they have specific needs and may also require person(s) accompanying or assisting them including those recognised as personal assistant(s) in accordance with national legislation or practices, or making use of assistance animals that must not endanger the life or health of others, making their travel costs higher than for persons without disabilities49 . The lack of recognition of disability status in other Member States might limit their access to special conditions, such as free access or reduced tariffs, or preferential treatment and has an impact on their travel costs, lives and choices. _________________ 48 Findings from Final Report based on Survey targeted at EU-level CSOs; Shaw and Coles, ‘Disability, holiday making and the tourism industry in the UK: a preliminary survey’, 25(3) Tourism Management (2004) 397-403; Eugénia Lima Devile and Andreia Antunes Moura (2021), Travel by People With Physical Disabilities: Constraints and Influences in the Decision-Making Process. 49 McKercher and Darcy (2018), Re- conceptualizing barriers to travel by people with disabilities, Tourism Management Perspectives, 59-66. [More for Explanatory Memorandum?]
Amendment 115 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 15
Recital 15
(15) Alongside physical and other barriers in accessing both public and private spaces, high expenses are a key factor discouraging many persons with disabilities from travel48 , because they have specific needs and may also require person(s) accompanying or assisting them including those recognised as personal assistant(s) in accordance with national legislation or practices, making their travel costs higher than for persons without disabilities49 . The lack of recognition of disability status in other Member States might limit their access to special conditions, such as free access or reduced tariffs, or preferential treatment and has an impact on their travel costs, lives, social and economic integration and choices. _________________ 48 Findings from Final Report based on Survey targeted at EU-level CSOs; Shaw and Coles, ‘Disability, holiday making and the tourism industry in the UK: a preliminary survey’, 25(3) Tourism Management (2004) 397-403; Eugénia Lima Devile and Andreia Antunes Moura (2021), Travel by People With Physical Disabilities: Constraints and Influences in the Decision-Making Process. 49 McKercher and Darcy (2018), Re- conceptualizing barriers to travel by people with disabilities, Tourism Management Perspectives, 59-66. [More for Explanatory Memorandum?]
Amendment 118 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 16
Recital 16
(16) Preferential treatment (such as personal assistance, priority access, etc.) offered with or without remuneration may be important for persons with disabilities to be able to access various services, activities or facilities and to better experiencederive maximum benefit from them. However, due to the lack of recognition, in the Member State they visit or travel to, of their disability status and of formal documents recognising this status issued in other Member States, persons with disabilities may not be able to benefit from the special conditions or preferential treatment offered by private operators or public authorities in that Member State to holders of a disability certificate, disability card or any other formal document recognising their disability status issued there.
Amendment 120 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 17
Recital 17
(17) The Pilot Project on the EU Disability card launched in 2016 and carried out in eight Member States, demonstrated the advantages for persons with disabilities in accessing services in the areas of culture, leisure, sport, and, in some cases, transport, and supporting their cross- border movement in the EU for a short period as well as the fact that the card’s objectives continue to be relevant to the current needs of persons with disabilities 50 . In addition, it included other examples of services, activities and facilities which offer special conditions or preferential treatment to persons with disabilities. _________________ 50 See also the Final Report of the Study assessing the implementation of the pilot action on the EU Disability Card and associated benefits, published in May 2021, https://op.europa.eu/en/publication- detail/-/publication/4adbe538-0a02-11ec- b5d3-01aa75ed71a1/language-en.
Amendment 123 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 18
Recital 18
(18) On the basis of their disability status in accordance with national law and practice, persons with disabilities may apply for a parking card to competent authorities in the Member State in which they reside for the issuance of a parking card for person with disabilities which recognises the right to certain parking conditions and facilities reserved for persons with disabilities. Each Member State has in place an application procedure, be it at local, regional or national level, to obtain a parking card for person with disabilities (or person(s) accompanying or assisting them including personal assistant(s)) and criteria which must be fulfilled in order to be eligible.
Amendment 133 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 23
Recital 23
(23) Beside parking conditions and facilities, the services, activities and facilities covered by this Directive concern a wide variety of ever-changing activities, including activities provided not for remuneration, by public authorities or private operators, either on a mandatory (on the basis of national/local rules or legal obligations) but often also on a voluntary basis (in particular by private operators) in a variety of policy domains, such as culture, leisure, tourism, sports, public and private transport, education.
Amendment 178 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 36
Recital 36
(36) Member States should take appropriate measures and provide for effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties in the event of breaches or failure to comply with the obligations laid down in this Directive and that relates to the rights which are within its scope. Such penalties can include administrative and financial sanctions, such as fines or the payment of compensation, as well as other types of penalties in line with national law and practice.
Amendment 182 #
Proposal for a directive
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) This Directive respects the fundamental rights and observes the principles recognised in particular by the Charter. 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.
Amendment 221 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) “persons with disabilities” means persons who in line with national law and practice have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others;
Amendment 241 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 4 – paragraph 1 – point a
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 including sign language interpreter(s) as indicated by the letter “A” on their European Disability Card, or by assistance animals,
Amendment 333 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 7 – paragraph 5
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 atupon the latest by dd/mm/yy [request for its issuance, and in any case within 3 years from the date of application of this Directive]. . _________________ 58 Council Recommendation of 4 June 1998 (98/376/EC) OJ L 167/25,12.6.1998 as adapted by Council Recommendation of 3 March 2008 by reason of accession of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Estonia, the Republic of Cyprus, the Republic of Latvia, the Republic of Lithuania, the Republic of Hungary, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Poland, Romania, the Republic of Slovenia and the Slovak Republic OJ L 63/43,7.3.2008.
Amendment 437 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall adopt and publish, by dd/mm/yy [within 1824 months after the entry into force of this Directive] at the latest, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with this Directive. They shall forthwith communicate to the Commission the text of those provisions.
Amendment 443 #
Proposal for a directive
Article 18 – paragraph 2
Article 18 – paragraph 2
2. They shall apply those provisions from dd/mm/yy [306 months from the date of entry into force of this Directive].
Amendment 452 #
Proposal for a directive
Annex I – paragraph 2
Annex I – paragraph 2
BACK SIDE National information in the national language or national languages to be decided by the issuing Member State, in line with national law and practice, e.g. degree of disability.