On 26 June 2026, the EU Council's Working Party on Civil Law Matters (General Questions) will meet in Brussels to coordinate EU positions on a range of international civil law issues, including updates from the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), the Council of Europe, and UNCITRAL. The meeting, scheduled for 10:00 at the Justus Lipsius building, will also hear a preview of the upcoming Irish Presidency's priorities.
The agenda includes several items where the European Commission will inform the Working Party on developments in international bodies. Under agenda item 2a, the Commission will report on the HCCH Working Group meeting on protection orders, set to take place in London from 16 to 20 November 2026. Item 2b covers the HCCH Working Group on Article 33 (placement) of the 1996 Hague Child Protection Convention.
Item 3 features an oral report on the 9th Plenary meeting of the Council of Europe Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU), held on 14-15 April 2026 in Strasbourg. Under item 4a, the Working Party will receive an oral report on UNCITRAL Working Group V (Insolvency) from its 68th session (13-17 April 2026, New York). Item 4b provides information on the entry into force of the Council Decision on Judicial Sale of Ships and next steps, while item 4c covers the Commission's update on ending the rotation of UNCITRAL Working Groups between New York and Vienna, as per UN document A/CN.9/1255.
The Presidency will inform on a proposal for a Council Decision on the 2000 International Protection of Adults Convention (document 10806/26) under item 5. Item 6 is a presentation of the priorities of the upcoming Irish Presidency. Finally, under item 7, the Presidency will inform on possible future work on rights in rem and cultural goods.
The meeting is procedural and aims to align EU member states' positions ahead of international negotiations. No decisions are expected to be taken at this session, but the discussions will shape the EU's input in upcoming global forums. The Working Party's coordination ensures that the EU speaks with a unified voice on civil law matters, balancing member states' legal traditions with the need for cross-border legal certainty.
Stakeholders affected include EU citizens and businesses involved in cross-border disputes, particularly in family law, insolvency, and cultural property. The updates on the HCCH and UNCITRAL could lead to future EU legislation harmonising rules on protection orders, child placement, and insolvency proceedings. The discussion on cultural goods may pave the way for EU action on repatriation or trade in cultural property. The Irish Presidency's priorities will signal the EU's legislative agenda for the second half of 2026.