Czech Republic soon to ratify UN Convention on disability

Czech Republic soon to ratify UN Convention on disability

The Czech Republic, currently holding the EU presidency, says it is committed to ratifying the UN Convention on the rights of persons with a disability. Czech Minister Pavel Svoboda’s said, during a meeting in Prague with the board of European Disability Forum, that his country "not only needs to adopt the UN CRPD but also to implement it at national level". State Secretary and Deputy Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, Petr Šimerka also reminded that “Our Presidency has opened its meetings to all disability representatives”.

This is the first time since its establishment that the EU signs a United Nations Convention, which entered into force on May 3rd 2008. It is a significant step forward as it implies that all existing and future European Directives, Regulations and programmes, will need to be in line with the Convention. The EU has however not yet signed the additional protocol due to pressures by some member states that are concerned about national sovereignty. For further information and to follow up progress on the ratification process, please check the following links: Visit the pages on disability on the Un website or go to the dedicated section on the European Disability Forum website Click here for a map of signatures and ratifications