EU Parliament: a European Disability Card to make inclusion and free movement easier

(Strasbourg) Easy access to transport, education and the digital world, as well as unsegregated housing; fighting violence and discrimination on the job market; accessible online information in public life to increase social participation. These are some of the key points of the European Disability Card and other measures for equal participation that can be found in a resolution passed by the EU Parliament, gathered in Strasbourg. In a resolution passed today, the last day of the meeting, the MEPs claim that the Union “should have a common definition of disability and launch a European Disability Card to acknowledge the state of disability all over the Union”. As part of their recommendations, the MEPs include “more flexible assistance in train transport by removing physical barriers, educational systems that can accommodate different types of students and needs, availability of unsegregated housing for disabled citizens, so that they can be actively involved in their communities”. To be equally involved in a society that is increasingly relying on digital skills, the European Parliament asks for “effective measures, such as public agencies providing information in sign language, Braille and easily readable texts. In addition, sign language interpretation should be provided at public spoken events, and governmental buildings should be easily accessible”.
Valentina Bombelli