Freedom of movement

This campaign is a priority for persons with disabilities.

ARE YOU FREE ENOUGH?

We believe a society including everyone is a better society.

WHY FOCUS ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT?

In 2011 the European disability movement focuses on freedom of movement.
It is essential because the EU treaties guarantee basic freedoms to all citizens: free movement of people, goods, services and capital. This means that anyone can move, work and live in every country of the EU.
However, persons with disabilities cannot yet enjoy this right and freely move, work and live in other countries as simply as any other EU citizen. We feel discriminated as we do not have full access to this fundamental right: we face barriers when going to school, looking for a job, renting an apartment or simply in accessing information. The European Disability Forum and tis members are working together with legal experts to propose legislation as a tool to ensure our freedom of movement.

WHAT WE WANT

1. The adoption of the European Accessibility Act covering access to goods and services and to the built environment
The idea of EAA was proposed by the European Commission in the Disability Strategy 2010-2020 and will become a reality in 2012. Nevertheless, the disability movement wants it to be ambitious and legally binding.

2. The adoption of the European Mobility Card based on mutual recognition of national disability cards.

One of the objectives of the Campaign is the adoption of a European Mobility Card

EDF believes that a European Mobility card would be a handy tool to facilitate travelling to another EU country for person with disabilities.

Within a country, being recognized as having a disability may open the door to a number of concessions, such as better access to transport, cultural facilities and events. Often, these concessions or benefits are received upon the presentation of a card. However, when the person crosses the national borders in Europe, these cards are no longer valid, which means that a visitor with a disability does not have access to the concessions offered to residents with disabilities in that country. This hampers cross-national mobility of persons with disabilities, because it puts non-residents with disabilities at a disadvantage.

EDF believes that this specific barrier can easily be overcome with a European Mobility card. Thanks to the harmonized design of the card, this will allow service providers in all EU Member States to easily verify that a card holder is entitled to the proposed service, thus avoiding discrimination based on Nationality and facilitating freedom of movement for persons with disabilities.