On the 31st December 2020 the EU transition period ended and with it so did the ability for British Blue Badge holders to use their Blue Badges in many EU countries such as France, Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal. Until that date British Blue Badges were automatically recognised in EU Countries. Replacement talks were set up and ministers agreed to negotiate individual deals with EU countries to recognise British Blue Badges, but these have stalled over the past year with no decisions being made.
So what should you do if you’re planning on travelling abroad this year with regards to using your Blue Badge in the EU? As it stands, a full list of Eu countries and their policies regarding acceptance of Blue Badges can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-using-it-in-the-eu/using-a-blue-badge-in-the-european-union
However, to make your travel planning easier we have put together a table of all those EU Countries that currently recognise Blue Badges:
Table Correct as of 5/1/2022
We would still advise that you check for further information before you travel and guidance for travel to any of the countries not shown on our list is to check with the embassy of the country you are travelling to for the latest developments. In some cases, you will need to ask for further information locally. A full list of contact details for EU countries can be found here: https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/national-contact-points/index_en.htm
As Covid uncertainties continue many people are still nervous about travel abroad but if you do decide to go making sure you are prepared and organised will help relieve some of the stress and anxiety of overseas travel. Always check where you can use your Blue Badge abroad and travel with the peace of mind that you can.
Remember, to keep your Blue Badge safe wherever you are travelling secure it in a Blue Badge Protector when in use, available on our website: https://bluebadgeprotector.co.uk/collections