The European Commission considers that a new European Disability Card could promote persons with disabilities’ right to free movement and residence across the EU by facilitating the mutual recognition of disability status for card holders within the EU.

CESI welcomes this initiative but notes that where disabled persons move for work to another Member State, the Card should not miss to provide also a seamless provision and continuation of disability-related social benefits of the ‘old’ Member State until the disability recognition process (including the setting of benefits) in the ‘new’ Member State has been completed. CESI Secretary Klaus Heeger said: “Disabled persons should not fear to lose benefits in a transition phase of moving from one to another Member State for work. Having a guaranteed continuation of financial assistance in transition phases might actually encourage disabled persons, including those severely disabled, to make benefits of employment opportunities that the EU single market offers. This would constitute an important step towards equal opportunities for all parts of the population, as laid also out by principle 3 of the European Pillar of Social Rights on equal opportunities.”

Moreover, CESI encourages the European Commission to propose a binding policy tool to introduce a new European Disability Card – a Directive or Regulation rather than a Recommendation. Klaus Heeger stressed: “Practical experience has shown that a non-binding Recommendation would not provide for an adequate and comparable implementation and enforcement mechanism of a new European Disability Card, especially where there is no incentivising EU-funding attached to it.”

CESI full position, issued as part of a consultation by the European Commission on the subject matter, is available here.