The EU as a whole is now the first international organisation which has become a formal party to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).
On Wednesday 5 January 2011 the European Union has ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This Convention aims to ensure that people with disabilities can enjoy their rights on an equal basis with all other citizens. The Convention sets out minimum standards for protecting and safeguarding a full range of civil, political, social, and economic rights for people with disabilities. It reflects the EU’s broader commitment to building a barrier-free Europe for the estimated 80 million people with disabilities in the EU by 2020, as set out in the European Commission’s disability strategy
This ratification marks the first time in history that the EU becomes a party to an international human rights treaty. The EU becomes the 97th party to this treaty, which was also signed by all 27 EU Member States and ratified by 16 of these.