The EU is working on a new law to try to ensure parents of a child are recognised everywhere.
“It sounds like a simple thing, but of course a lot of complexity does arise in real life situations,” said Commissioner Michael McGrath this morning arriving for a meeting of EU justice ministers in Luxembourg.
Some of that complication is down to EU countries who are sceptical, or downright anti, LGBTI rights.
Belgium has had same sex marriage in place since 2003, and equal parenting laws for close to twenty years. It is one of the countries championing the new European law.
“It’s important that there is no discrimination,” said Belgium’s Justice Minister, Annelies Verlinden.
The rights of children from same-sex parents and also children born through surrogacy arrangements should be upheld, she said.
“We are pleading for a smooth recognition of birth certificates throughout the European Union,” she added.
Ireland’s European Commissioner, Michael McGrath, as European Commissioner responsible for democracy, justice, the rule of law and consumer protection is taking a lead on pushing the law through.
What it “basically means [is] that if you are recognised as a parent of a child in a member state of the European Union, you should be recognised as a parent in every member state of the EU,” he said.
“It sounds like a simple thing, but of course a lot of complexity does arise in real life situations, and I think when we are considering this file, we really need to put the interests of the child first and make sure that we work towards progress on this important issue so that parenthood is equally recognised throughout the European Union.”
The European Parliament has previously been a very vocally supporter of equal rights for parents and is expected to support a strong new law.
The Council of the European Union said on today’s discussion:
“Ministers will hold a policy debate on a proposed regulation on recognition of parenthood. The proposal aims to ensure continuity of parenthood in cross-border situations and thereby protect all children, regardless of how they were conceived or born and regardless of their type of family.”