EU EPSCO Council Debates European Disability Card Implementation Challenges Today

Summary

At today's EPSCO Council meeting in Luxembourg (19 October 2026), EU employment ministers are discussing implementation challenges for the European Disability Card and European Parking Card under an agenda item tabled by Italy, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Slovakia. The five countries have raised concerns about QR code colour requirements and cross-border interoperability, arguing that technical specifications must ensure security and accessibility without imposing unnecessary production restrictions. The Directive (EU) 2024/2841, adopted in October 2024, requires all EU member states to transpose the law by 5 June 2027 and have cards operational by June 2028 — but as of June 2026, the European Disability Forum noted that no member state had yet published a draft transposition law, and only 9 had started consultations. The Council is also deliberating the upcoming Quality Jobs Act and conclusions on equality as a driver for economic growth, signalling disability employment remains high on the EU policy agenda.