European Parliament supports recognizing same-sex adoptions across EU

The European Parliament approved a resolution calling for cross-border recognition of adoptions and adherence to anti-discrimination standards that include sex and sexual orientation.

The Parliament explained in a press statement that this would extend current cross-border recognition: “While the Hague Convention requires automatic recognition of adoptions in all its signatory countries, including all EU member states, it applies only to cases in which the parents and the adopted child are from two different countries.”

The lack of cross-border recognition for adoptive parents who are both from the same country, the resolution says, “causes significant problems for European families who move to another Member State after adopting a child, as the adoption may not be recognized, meaning that the parents may have trouble legally exercising their parental authority, and may encounter financial difficulties regarding the different fees applicable in this field.”

via press release