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Ref. Ares(2025)2484443 - 27/03/2025 EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR JUSTICE AND CONSUMERS Directorate D – Equality and Non-Discrimination INFORMAL COMMISSION EUROPEAN DISABILITY CARD AND EUROPEAN PARKING CARD EXPERT GROUP TERMS OF REFERENCE 1. BACKGROUND Directive (EU) 2024/2841 establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities (EDC Directive) confers on the Commission the power to adopt delegated acts. This includes delegated acts under Article 7(7) and Article 8(7) of the EDC Directive to be adopted by 5 December 2025, as well as, if necessary, delegated acts in accordance with Article 7(8) and 8(8). Article 21 of the EDC Directive requires Member States to adopt and publish the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with the Directive by 5 June 2027 and to communicate to the Commission the text of those measures. Article 6 of Directive (EU) 2024/2842 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 extending Directive (EU) 2024/2841 to third-country nationals legally residing in a Member State contains an identical requirement. Pursuant to Article 14(4) of the EDC Directive the Commission shall consult persons with disabilities and their representative organisations, as well as experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement on Better Law-Making of 2016. In addition, establishing effective cooperation between the Member States and the relevant Commission services on matters related to the transposition of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 will be essential to ensure a correct and timely transposition into national law. In light of the above, the Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (‘DG JUST’) has decided to set up an informal expert group to support the drafting of the delegated acts and the transposition of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842. 2. SUBJECT MATTER The European Disability Card and European Parking Card expert group (‘the group’) is set up. 3. TASKS The group’s tasks shall be: - to assist DG JUST in the preparation of delegated acts; 1 - to advise and support DG JUST in monitoring the correct and timely transposition of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 by Member States; - to exchange views on the progress of the exercise of transposition of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 at national level; - to serve as a forum to discuss and exchange experience and good practices in the field of the implementation of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 with particular attention to the rules likely to present challenges when being transposed into national law. 4. CONSULTATION DG JUST may consult the group on any matter relating to the preparation and/or amendment of delegated acts, pursuant to the EDC Directive, and the transposition of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842. 5. MEMBERSHIP 1. Members shall be competent Member States' authorities. 2. Member States' authorities shall nominate their representatives and shall be responsible for ensuring that their representatives provide a high level of expertise. 6. CHAIR The group shall be chaired by a representative of DG JUST. 7. OPERATION 1. The group shall act at the request of DG JUST, in compliance with the Commission’s horizontal rules on expert groups1 (‘the horizontal rules’). 2. Meetings of the group shall, in principle, be held on Commission premises or virtually, depending on the circumstances. 3. DG JUST shall provide secretarial services. Commission officials from other departments with an interest in the proceedings may attend meetings of the group. 4. In agreement with DG JUST, the group may, by simple majority of its members, decide that deliberations shall be public. 5. Minutes on the discussion on each point on the agenda and on the opinions delivered by the group shall be meaningful and complete. Minutes shall be drafted by the secretariat under the responsibility of the Chair. 6. As far as possible, the group shall adopt its opinions, recommendations or reports by consensus. In the event of a vote, the outcome of the vote shall be decided by simple majority of the members. Members who have voted against or abstained shall have the right to have a document summarising the reasons for their position annexed to the opinions, recommendations or reports. 1 C(2016) 3301, Article 13.1. 2 8. INVITED EXPERTS DG JUST may invite experts with specific expertise with respect to a subject matter on the agenda to take part in the work of the group or sub-groups on an ad hoc basis. 9. OBSERVERS 1. Stakeholder organisations may be granted an observer status, in compliance with the horizontal rules, by direct invitation. 2. National authorities of the EEA-EFTA countries and candidate countries may be granted an observer status, in compliance with the horizontal rules, by direct invitation. Their participation in the work of the group shall take place in relation to the points on the agenda that DG JUST will deem relevant for these countries. 3. Observers shall nominate their representatives. 4. Observers’ representatives may be permitted by the Chair to take part in the discussions of the group and provide expertise. However, they shall not have voting rights and shall not participate in the formulation of recommendations or advice of the group. 10. RULES OF PROCEDURE On a proposal by and in agreement with DG JUST the group shall adopt its rules of procedure by simple majority of its members, on the basis of the standard rules of procedure for expert groups, in compliance with the horizontal rules2. 11. PROFESSIONAL SECRECY AND HANDLING OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION The members of the group and their representatives, as well as invited experts, are subject to the obligation of professional secrecy, which by virtue of the Treaties and the rules implementing them applies to all members of the institutions and their staff, as well as to the Commission's rules on security regarding the protection of Union classified information, laid down in Commission Decisions (EU, Euratom) 2015/4433 and 2015/4444. Should they fail to respect these obligations, the Commission may take all appropriate measures. 12. TRANSPARENCY 1. The group shall be registered in the Register of Commission expert groups and other similar entities (‘the Register of expert groups’). 2. As regards the group composition, the following data shall be published on the Register of expert groups: • the name of Member States' authorities; • the name of observers; 2 See Article 17 of the horizontal rules. 3 Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/443 of 13 March 2015 on Security in the Commission (OJ L 72, 17.3.2015, p. 41). 4 Commission Decision (EU, Euratom) 2015/444 of 13 March 2015 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 72, 17.3.2015, p. 53). 3 3. All relevant documents, including the agendas, the minutes and the participants’ submissions, shall be made available on the Register of expert groups. In particular, DG JUST shall publish the agenda and other relevant background documents in due time ahead of the meeting, followed by timely publication of minutes. Exceptions to publication shall only be possible where it is deemed that disclosure of a document would undermine the protection of a public or private interest as defined in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) N° 1049/20015. 13. MEETING EXPENSES 1. Participants in the activities of the group shall not be remunerated for the services they offer. 2. Travel expenses incurred by participants in the activities of the group shall be reimbursed by the Commission. Reimbursement shall be made in accordance with the provisions in force within the Commission and within the limits of the available appropriations allocated to the Commission departments under the annual procedure for the allocation of resources. Done in Brussels, on 6 March 2025. 5 These exceptions are intended to protect public security, military affairs, international relations, financial, monetary or economic policy, privacy and integrity of the individual, commercial interests, court proceedings and legal advice, inspections/investigations/audits and the institution's decision- making process. 4 Saatja: JUST D4 <[email protected]> Saaja: Esindus EL juures üldaadress Teema: Nomination of members and contact points under Directive (EU) 2024/2841 and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 - Ares(2025)2484443 Your Excellency, Please find attached an e-mail from the Director-General for Justice and Consumers related to the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card. Best regards. Ref. Ares(2025)2484443 - 27/03/2025 EUROPEAN COMMISSION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR JUSTICE AND CONSUMERS The Director-General Brussels JUST.D.4/HV/im(2025)3035186 Her Excellency Kyllike SILLASTE-ELLING Permanent Representation of Estonia to the EU Rue Guimard 11/13 1040 Bruxelles/Brussel [email protected] Subject: Nomination of members and contact points under Directive (EU) 2024/2841 and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 Your Excellency, Directive (EU) 2024/2841 establishing the European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities1 (EDC Directive) and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 extending Directive (EU) 2024/2841 to third-country nationals legally residing in a Member State2 came into force on 4 December 2024. To ensure proper implementation and transposition of both Directives, we have set up dedicated groups that would allow for consultation and cooperation with the Member States: 1. The European Disability Card and European Parking Card expert group A new informal Commission expert group has been set up to support the implementation of the EDC Directive. The expert group will assist the Commission in the drafting of delegated acts under Articles 7 and 8 of the EDC Directive, as well as support the transposition of the EDC Directive and Directive (EU) 2024/2842. It is recalled in this context that the EDC Directive contains a deadline for delegated acts to be adopted under Articles 7(7) and 8(7) regarding the digital features of the physical versions of the cards by 5 December 2025. The expert group will consist of one full member and one alternate member per Member State. Experts are expected to belong to authorities that work on the production and digitalisation of the cards and have a mandate to carry out the tasks of the expert group. The working language of the expert group will be English. 1 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/2841/oj 2 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2024/2842/oj Commission européenne/Europese Commissie, 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel, BELGIQUE/BELGIË – Tel. +32 22991111  2. European Disability Card and European Parking Card Committee (Comitology committee) Article 9 of the EDC Directive empowers the Commission to adopt implementing acts concerning the digital versions of the cards. In line with Article 15 of the Directive, the Commission is to be assisted by a committee within the meaning of Regulation (EU) No 182/20113 laying down the rules and general principles concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise of implementing powers. The comitology committee will consist of one full member and one alternate member per Member State. Experts are expected to belong to authorities that work on the production and digitalisation of the cards. The working language of the expert group will be English. 3. Contact points In line with Article 12 of the EDC Directive the Member States are to designate one or more national contact points in order to facilitate the dialogue between the Member States and the Commission on the proper transposition and implementation of the Directive. The Member States are to inform the Commission of their national contact points by 5 June 2025. Your Excellency, With this in mind, we invite your competent national authorities to designate representatives for the above-mentioned groups and contact points in line with Article 12 of the EDC Directive. 1. For the European Disability Card and European Parking Card expert group, we invite you to designate one member and one alternate member, and send their contact details (organisation, function, e-mail address, telephone number and office address), to the functional mailbox [email protected] as well as to Hana Velecka ([email protected] ) by 30 April 2025. 2. For the European Disability Card and European Parking Card Committee (comitology committee), we invite you to designate one member and one alternate member, and send their contact details (organisation, function, e-mail address, telephone number and office address), to the functional mailbox JUST- [email protected] as well as to Hana Velecka ([email protected] ) by 30 April 2025. 3. As concerns the contact points in line with Article 12 of EDC Directive, you can notify us at [email protected], as well as to Hana Velecka ([email protected]) by 5 June 2025. In view of the focus of the European Disability Card and European Parking Card expert group on implementation and transposition, the contact points under point 3 above could also be nominated as expert group members or alternate members. You are kindly invited to inform us in case any of the representatives proposed for the expert group and/or the comitology committee have also been designated as contact points under Article 12 of the EDC Directive. 3 https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/182/oj 2  We expect to have the first meeting of the European Disability Card and European Parking Card expert group on 12 May 2025. I use the opportunity to also express my gratitude for the work done by your representatives in the Council of the EU during the negotiations of both Directives. Please accept, your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Yours sincerely, Electronically signed Ana GALLEGO Enclosure: the Terms of reference of the European Disability Card and European Parking Card expert group. c.c.: Irena Moozova, Ana Carla Pereira, Lucie Davoine, Plamen Kolev, Inmaculada Placencia, Hana Velecka 3 Electronically signed on 26/03/2025 21:28 (UTC+01) in accordance with Article 11 of Commission Decision (EU) 2021/2121 Saatja: "Webdesktop" <[email protected]> Saaja: [email protected], "Berit McGinley", "Eha Lannes" Teema: Webdesktop: Nomination of members and contact points under Directive (EU) 2024/2841 and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 Kuupäev: 2025-03-31 08:25 Tere! Edastan Komisjoni kirja. Esimene vastamise tähtaeg on 30.04.2025. EV AEEL juures reg. number: 14-4/283 Reg. kuupäev: 28.03.2025 Sisu: Nomination of members and contact points under Directive (EU) 2024/2841 and Directive (EU) 2024/2842 (Euroopa puudega inimese kaart ja Euroopa puudega inimese parkimiskaart, European Disability Card and the European Parking Card for persons with disabilities) -- Heade soovidega Tiiu Noobel sekretär, EV alaline esindus EL juures &#43;32 2227 4337