With the proposal for a regulation on the protection of vulnerable adults, the European Union tried to ratify the 2000 HCCH Convention. The 2000 HCCH Convention is an international legal instrument outside the UN and EU frameworks which focuses on measures which deprive disabled people of their legal capacity, including guardianship.
Because of a dedicated advocacy effort by key disability rights organisations, led by ENIL and EDF, the regulation was changed. It now focuses on supported decision-making and grants disabled people the legal entitlement to have their support arrangements legally recognised when moving to another EU country.
However, the 2000 HCCH Convention is still out there and allows the application of guardianship and placements in institutions as “protection measures” in all 96 member states.
There is a strong need to reform this Convention and make it compliant with the UN CRPD. How can this be done?
We are inviting you to a digital roundtable debate between key organisation active on legal capacity, ENIL, the Validity Foundation and EDF, to discuss how this objective can be achieved.
Join the discussion. Register now!
📅Date: 30.11.2026
🕐Time: 15:00 – 16:30 (CET)
💻Format: Online
Welcome and introduction 15:00 – 15:10 | Adela Santos Lavigne ENIL Project Coordinator |
| Exchange | |
| 15:10 – 15:25 | A proposal to reform the 2000 HCCH Convention Florian Sanden, ENIL |
| 15:25 – 15:40 | From Protection to Autonomy: Reforming Cross-Border Legal Capacity Law in Line with the CRPD Steven Allen, Validity Foundation |
15:40 – 15:55 | Reaction from the European Disability Forum Marine Uldry, Senior Policy Coordinator |
| Questions from the audience 15:55-16:25 | |
| Closing of the event 16:25-16:30 Adela Santos Lavigne, ENIL Project Coordinator | |