Brussels, Belgium. Justice minister Costas Fitiris and deputy migration minister Nicholas Ioannides called for unified draft legislation to protect the rights of vulnerable adults across the EU during a Council of the European Union meeting on Friday.
Ministers cite need for EU-wide protections
Fitiris said the agreement would ensure that adults, especially older people who rely on others for help, can have their choices recognised wherever they move within the EU. Ioannides said the issue was becoming more serious as Europe’s population ages and becomes more mobile, adding that the EU should assist people who can no longer protect their own interests independently.
Proposed rules and scope
Ioannides said significant effort had gone into drafting the proposed legislation, which will serve as the basis for a future EU law. The legislation is expected to introduce rules safeguarding the rights of vulnerable adults across the EU, including people suffering from conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, while facilitating their ability to exercise autonomy and freedom of choice.
Council position and cross-border procedures
In a statement, the Council said it agreed its position on an EU law to guarantee the rights of adults who need protection or support in cross-border situations such as the sale of property, medical care abroad or relocation to another country. The proposed legislation aims to clarify bureaucratic procedures in cross-border cases, including which court or authority is competent to take protective measures, which national law applies, and how decisions or powers of representation issued abroad are recognised and enforced.
Next steps and demographic context
The issue was discussed during the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting held in Brussels on Friday morning, where member states reached a joint position on the proposal. The Council said the agreement would serve as the basis for negotiations with the European Parliament to agree on a final legal text. EU figures cited by the Council show the proportion of EU citizens aged over 65 with some form of disability is expected to rise by 77 per cent by 2050.
How could the proposed EU rules affect you or your family in cross-border situations such as medical care abroad or relocation?
