Activites

• 1998/06/12 Final act published in Official Journal
• #2102
• 1998/06/04 Council Meeting
• 1998/06/04 End of procedure in Parliament
• 1998/06/04 Act adopted by Council after consultation of Parliament
• 1998/03/31 Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading
  • T4-0174/1998 summary

    In adopting the report by Mr Thomas MEGAHY (PSE, UK) on the parking card for people with disabilities, the European Parliament approved the common position of the Council unamended.�

• 1998/03/30 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    The rapporteur welcomed the fact that the common position was a great improvement on the initial proposal. Having stressed that the different systems which existed in each MemberState still posed many problems, Commissioner Flynn stated that the final adoption of the text in question by the Council would allow people with disabilities to benefit from certain parking facilities in any EU Member State. He added that, while this achievement might be modest, it could be regarded as an important step in the removal of barriers to the fuller participation in European society of all categories of disadvantaged people.

• 1998/03/17 Vote in committee, 2nd reading
  • A4-0098/1998
• 1998/01/29 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 2nd reading
• 1997/12/19 Council position published
  • 11329/1/1997 summary

    In its common position on the Community parking card for persons with disabilities, the Council took over 4 of the 6 amendments approved by Parliament at first reading. These amendments related to: - the transitional period before the introduction of Community cards: Community parking cards could be used in parallel with national cards in the Member States during a transitional period, as requested by the European Parliament, but the Council only envisaged national cards being replaced by Community cards in the longer term. As a result, national cards would continue to be used in parallel with Community cards for a certain period of time; - the information to appear on the cards: as Parliament hoped, the address and date of birth of the cardholder would not appear on the cards, nor would the vehicle registration number; - where the card was to be displayed for checking purposes. However, the Council did not accept Parliament's amendment outlining which disabled persons should be allowed to use the card (particularly those suffering from physical or mental impairment). It did include the concept of 'reduced mobility'. The Council also amended parts of the Commission's initial text. In addition to establishing a longer transitional period when national cards could be used (models existing in the Member States before 1 January 2000 could continue to be used after that date in the countries where they were issued until their replacement), the Council allowed the Member States complete flexibility in terms of assigning the parking cards. From 1 January 1999, the parking cards introduced by each Member State in accordance with the Community model should be recognised in the other Member States and from 1 January 2000 the Member States should issue their own Community parking cards based on the uniform model described in the annex. �

• #2063
• 1997/12/18 Council Meeting
• #2030
• 1997/10/07 Council Meeting
• 1997/03/04 Modified legislative proposal published
  • COM(1997)0076 summary

    In its amended proposal, the Commission included several amendments adopted by Parliament, in particularly those concerning: - the parking card must be based on the European model parking card as regards already existing parking cards (it may be used in parallel with the existing national or regional cards within a transition phase); - the card should be available to people suffering from physical, mental or psychological impairment; - the following information shall appear on the reverse: surname and forenames with signature or other authorized mark (the Commission included Parliament's amendment stating that the address and age should not appear); the card should not contain any information on the vehicle's registration number; - the card should be placed at the front of the vehicle in such a way that only the front of the card is clearly visible for checking purposes. Because of the time taken to reach a decision (cooperation procedure), the date of introduction has been changed from 1 January 1998 to 1 January 1999. �

• 1996/12/13 Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
  • T4-0700/1996 summary

    In adopting the report by Mr Thomas MEGAHY (PSE, UK) Parliament was in favour of the introduction of a European parking card for disabled persons, able to be used throughout the territory of the Union. It would not be a substitute for existing national and regional cards but would be used in parallel. Parliament requested that the vehicle registration number and the date of birth and address of the holder should not appear on the card. The reverse of the card should, however, carry the name and family name, signature or other authorized mark and photograph of the holder. The card should be displayed in the front of the vehicle in such a way that only the front of the card is clearly visible for checking purposes. �

• 1996/12/12 Debate in Parliament
  • Debate in Parliament summary

    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.

• 1996/07/02 Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
  • A4-0227/1996
• 1996/02/01 Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
• 1995/12/15 Legislative proposal published
  • COM(1995)0696 summary

    OBJECTIVE: this draft recommendation seeks to improve road traffic safety by issuing disabled persons with a standardized parking card which is mutually recognized in all Member States so that they can use local parking facilities. CONTENT: Member States are recommended to: . issue a parking card for disabled people under national provisions but on the basis of the standardized Community model described in the Annex; . mutually recognize the cards in question, so that card holders may use the associated parking facilities available in the Member State in which they happen to be; . only issue this card to disabled persons with reduced mobility, given that these parking facilities aim to minimize the distances which disabled people need to move from their car; . implement these measures by 1 January 1998. An Annex contains a precise description and a model of the Community parking card, which is based on existing national parking cards and the driving licences directive. It is the same size as national cards and 2/3 of the size of the Community model driving licence (106 mm long by 148 mm wide). It is blue (with a wheelchair-user symbol) and plastic-coated (to make forgery more difficult), with a non-plastic coated space for the holder's signature. Cards must contain precise information: . on the front: expiry date, name and stamp of issuing authority, name of issuing Member State, surrounded by the 12 stars, and car registration number (optional); . on the back: name of the card holder, date of birth, address and signature. It must also be stated here that the card must be clearly displayed and that it may be used throughout the Community in the appropriate places. Provisions concerning language are also laid down for Member States which wish to produce the card in a language other than an official language of the Community.�

Documents

• Legislative proposal published: COM(1995)0696
• Committee report tabled for plenary, 1st reading/single reading: A4-0227/1996
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T4-0700/1996
• Modified legislative proposal published: COM(1997)0076
• Council position published: 11329/1/1997
• Committee recommendation tabled for plenary, 2nd reading: A4-0098/1998
• Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
• Decision by Parliament, 2nd reading: T4-0174/1998

History

(these mark the time of scraping, not the official date of the change)