Accessibility for People with Reduced Mobility Reciprocal Recognition of Parking Badges (Blue Badge Parking Scheme)
In 1978, the ECMT Council of Ministers agreed that all Member Countries of the ECMT would grant the same parking concessions to people with disabilities as they offered their own nationals. These concessions usually allowed special parking in areas reserved for people with disabilities, or allowed longer parking periods or exemptions from charges. This Resolution was updated and extended in scope in 1997. In addition to all the Member countries of ECMT this Resolution now applies also to the ECMT Associated Countries (Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and United States). This means that disabled motorists from all ECMT Member and Associate countries are now entitled to the same parking concessions as nationals in all ECMT Countries. The only condition is the display of a badge showing the international wheelchair symbol. In 1998 the EU adopted a Resolution along the same lines for the Member countries of the EU. The badges to be displayed are to be standardized to facilitate recognition and to avoid difficulties at local level. EU Blue Parking Badge. To facilitate the implementation of these decisions the following information is provided to help people visiting the various countries understand the local rules. At present different badges are used and where this information is available these badges are shown. This page describes what the concessions are, where disabled people can park and where they can't. The webpage also contains links to publications on parking cards, accessibility of public transport and improving access to taxis.