March 11-12, 2025 The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities will review the European Union's (EU) compliance with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This is part of the regular process of monitoring the implementation of international obligations.
What will happen during the screening?
For two days, public hearings will be held in Geneva between EU representatives and Committee experts. They will analyze the EU's policy on disability rights, identifying successes and challenges.
The first EU assessment was conducted in 2015. Since the EU ratified the Convention as a "regional integration organization," the Committee will only review aspects that fall within the EU's competence, not specific policies of member states.
What role does civil society play?
Civil society organizations play a key role in this process. They submit alternative reports and provide updated information on issues that need to be addressed at the EU level. In particular, European Forum of People with Disabilities (EDF) has already published its own report, which emphasizes the need for greater political leadership and decisive action in the coming years.
Representatives of civil society will also be present in Geneva for private meetings with Committee members to explain the main challenges in more detail.
How to follow the review process?
Discussions between the EU and the Committee will be broadcast live via UN Web TV:
- March 11 (15:00-18:00 CET) - The first session of the EU review
- March 12 (15:00-18:00 CET) - The second session of the EU review
In the mornings of these days, there will be separate screenings of Canada (March 11) and Palau (March 12).
In addition, EDF and other European organizations will provide brief summaries of discussions on social media.
What's next?
The review process does not end in March. In April, the UN Committee will publish Concluding remarks (Concluding Observations) - recommendations for the EU to improve the implementation of the Convention.
Among the key expectations of civil society organizations from these recommendations:
- Update EU strategies on the rights of people with disabilities for the next 5 years with clear actions.
- Ratification Optional Protocol to the Conventionwhich will allow individuals and groups to file complaints with the UN Committee.
- Strengthening support for civil society organizations working in the field of the rights of persons with disabilities.
This review is an important opportunity for the EU to reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the UN Convention and to ensure that the rights of people with disabilities are mainstreamed into policies and programs.
Author: Andre Felix, Communications Manager at the European Disability Forum
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