Europe & UNCRPD
The european Community signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
On 2007/07/30, the European Community signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). This was the first time that the European Community signs a United Nations Convention
Ratification?
Currently, the European Community has not yet ratified the UNCRPD
The European ratification process is ongoing. This is no easy task: any "first event" must be "invented". The EU and its 27 States must agree on their respective competence limits in relation to the implementation of the Convention text
The consequences of ratification by the EU will be significant: once ratified, all regulations, all directives, all recommendations and all European programs must conform to the articles of the UNCRPD
Europe and the Optional Protocol
Unfortunately, given the adamant opposition of some Member States of the European Community, The European Union could not sign the Optional Protocol to the UNCRPD. This means that individuals or groups of individuals have not the right yet to petition the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
BDF regrets this situation and supports the European Disability Forum (EDF) in all the steps it will take to obtain the signature of the Optional Protocol by the European Community