The rights of people with disabilities may be recognised across the whole continent in a few years' time.
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00:00 Pierre Haseling has a disability and was also one of the first people in Europe to hold
00:06 a European disability card, a document that allows him to prove all over the continent
00:11 that he`s disabled.
00:13 The card is already available in eight European countries like Belgium through a pilot program.
00:19 This week, the European Commission presented a proposal to extend it to all member states.
00:28 When I was in Italy, I asked assistance in a museum and a long time ago, I could not
00:36 get assistance because I could not prove I was a... in those days, I didn`t use a wheelchair,
00:42 I was walking with a stick but not a wheelchair.
00:47 So luckily, the person was willing to get me an e-scooter so I could visit the museum.
00:57 The card will grant disabled people equal access to any special treatment, including
01:01 assistance, free and priority entrance to museums or preferential parking spots.
01:08 By recognizing disabilities all over the EU, it can also encourage both travel and mobility.
01:13 It will also help to reduce extra costs encountered when going abroad.
01:18 For the president of the European Disability Forum, it`s a major step forward.
01:24 When we cross borders, our disability does not disappear.
01:31 And the disability card and the parking card are proofs of the disability status.
01:41 So when you go from Belgium to Germany, a citizen of Belgium cannot need to prove that
01:51 he or she is a person with a disability.
01:54 The disability card will do it for that person.
01:57 The proposal by the commission comes more than 13 years after the first request to introduce
02:01 one and will now have to be discussed by the European Parliament and Council before it
02:05 can become a reality.
02:08 But disabled Europeans will have to wait at least a few more years to be able to officially
02:12 use their cards.
02:13 [Laughter]
02:19 [WHOOSH]