The EU ministers of justice met in Prague, on Tuesday 12 July, for an informal meeting. They referred to the plight of vulnerable people, such as people who are unable to protect their interests because of disability or old age. This is particularly worrying, according to the ministers, as there are refugees in this situation.
“Russia’s war against Ukraine has increased the number of displaced and refugees in the EU and some of them have mental or physical impairments which prevent them from properly protecting their interests”, said the EU Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, after the meeting.
Together with the Czech Minister of Justice, Pavel Blažek, he recalled the existence of the 2000 Hague Convention on the International Protection of Adults. This text aims to protect persons with motor or mental disabilities by enabling them to determine the competent authorities and the applicable law and to ensure the recognition and enforcement of protection measures in all the co-contracting States.
It is an “important legal instrument, which can help to ensure the protection of vulnerable persons in the EU”, said Mr Blažek, adding that it was essential that all Member States ratify it. The Czech Republic ratified it in 2012.
Only ten EU member states have ratified the convention, “which means that the EU is not acting collectively at a time when it is imperative to do so. In the 17 countries that have not ratified the convention, vulnerable adults have less protection over property they might own in another Member State”, he added. To date, Belgium is the last country to have ratified this text, in 2020.
The Commissioner also announced the Commission’s intention to improve the cross-border protection of vulnerable persons through a legislative initiative to be presented next year. This will include reducing costs and time in administrative procedures for these people.
The ministers of justice were also expected to discuss the protection of victims in the EU in Prague, as the Commission will present a revision of the Victims’ Rights Directive next year (see EUROPE 12981/15). However, this exchange was postponed due to the discussion on war crimes in Ukraine (see other news) which lasted much longer than expected. (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)