Article 40 Conference of States Parties

This chapter examines Article 40 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), which deals with the Conference of States Parties (COSP). The COSP is part of an established tradition whose principal aim is to keep the Convention alive by stimulating actions, collaborations, enforcement, capacity building, and others. The enforcement powers of the COSP are severely limited, if any, and should not therefore be compared to those enjoyed by entities with enforcement powers, such as the UN Security Council or the Council of the European Union. Although the powers and functions of the COSP could be achieved outside the legal person of the COSP on the basis of joint action by CRPD member states, the formal collectivization of member states ensures annual discussions on important and emerging issues affecting disability rights and contributes towards a consistency among a group of equal partners undertaking the same obligations.