29/03/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday, the Council adopted a decision authorising the signature by the EU of the UN convention on the rights of people with people with disabilities, at the ceremony planned for 30 March in New York. This convention was approved by the United Nations on 13 December 2006. The Council says it will reconsider the issue of signing the additional protocol to the convention as soon as possible. This optional protocol allows individuals and groups, if they are not satisfied once all the national procedures have been exhausted, to refer cases to a committee for the rights of people with disability, which is made up of independent experts, charged with ensuring that states which are party to the protocol fulfil their obligations under the terms of the convention. (ab)