A notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council of the European Union schedules a meeting of the Working Party on Civil Law Matters (General Questions) for 26 June 2026 in Brussels. The meeting will update member states on developments in international civil law cooperation, including relations with the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), the Council of Europe, and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and will advance a proposal on adult protection.
The agenda includes several items on HCCH activities. The Commission will inform the Working Party about the HCCH Working Group on protection orders, scheduled to meet in London, UK, from 16 to 20 November 2026, and about the HCCH Working Group on Article 33 (placement) of the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention. On the Council of Europe, an oral report will cover the outcome of the 9th Plenary meeting of the Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU), held on 14-15 April 2026 in Strasbourg. Regarding UNCITRAL, the agenda includes an oral report on Working Group V (Insolvency) from its 68th session in New York (13-17 April 2026), information on the entry into force of the Council Decision on Judicial Sale of Ships, and an exchange of views on the possible ending of the rotation of working groups between New York and Vienna.
A key legislative item is the proposal for a Council Decision authorising member states to become or remain parties to the 2000 Convention on International Protection of Adults, which the Presidency will present (document 10806/26). The Irish Presidency will also present its priorities for civil law matters. Under any other business, the Presidency will provide information on possible future work on rights in rem and cultural goods.
The meeting is procedural and technical, with no binding decisions expected. It primarily serves to coordinate member state positions and inform them of ongoing international negotiations. The main stakeholders are EU member states' civil law experts, who will receive updates that may influence future national legislation and international treaty participation. The proposal on adult protection, if adopted, would facilitate cross-border recognition of guardianship and protective measures for vulnerable adults, benefiting individuals and legal practitioners. No immediate impact on businesses or consumers is anticipated from this agenda.