LGBT adoption in Europe

Legal status of adoption by same-sex couples in Europe:
  Joint adoption legal1
  Stepparent adoption legal
  No laws allowing adoption by same-sex couples
1In Finland a law will come into force in March 2017.

Debate has occurred throughout Europe over proposals to legalise same-sex parental adoption as well as step-child adoption.

Currently some types of adoption by same-sex couples are legal in 20 of the 56 countries and in 4 of the 6 dependent territories in Europe. Full joint adoption by same-sex couples is legal in sixteen European countries, namely Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland (effective March 2017), France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. An additional two, namely, Estonia and Germany, permit step-child adoption in which the registered partner can adopt the biological and, in some cases, the adopted child of his or her partner. In Croatia, a life partner may become a partner-guardian over their partner's child, which is to a great extent comparable to step-child adoption. As for the dependent territories, joint adoption by same-sex couples is legal in Gibraltar, Greenland, the Isle of Man and Jersey. Several countries are currently considering permitting full joint or step-child adoption by same-sex couples.

Current situation

Joint adoption

Jurisdiction Entry into force Notes
[1] Andorra Andorra 25 December 2014
[2] Austria Austria 1 January 2016
[3] Belgium Belgium 30 June 2006
[4] Denmark Denmark 1 July 2010
  • The law does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
[5] Finland Finland 1 March 2017
[6] France France 18 May 2013
[7]Greenland Greenland
(Autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark)
1 July 2016
[8] Gibraltar Gibraltar
(British Overseas Territory)
28 March 2014
[9] Iceland Iceland 27 June 2006
[10] Republic of Ireland Ireland 6 May 2016
[11] Isle of Man Isle of Man
(British Crown Dependency)
6 April 2011
[12] Jersey Jersey
(British Crown Dependency)
2 April 2012
[13] Luxembourg Luxembourg 1 January 2015
[14] Malta Malta 13 June 2014
[15][16] Netherlands Netherlands 1 April 2001
  • The law initially applied to the European Netherlands only.
  • On 2012 its scope was expanded to include the Caribbean Netherlands.
[17] Norway Norway 1 January 2009
[18] Portugal Portugal 1 March 2016
[19] Spain Spain 3 July 2005
[20] Sweden Sweden 1 February 2003
[21][22] United Kingdom United Kingdom 30 December 2005
  • The law does not apply to Northern Ireland and Scotland.
  • In Scotland a separate law came into force on 28 September 2009.[23]
  • In Northern Ireland since 11 December 2013[24]

Step-child adoption

Jurisdiction Entry into force Notes
[25] Estonia Estonia 1 January 2016
  • Only parties to a registered cohabitation agreement may adopt. However, cohabitation agreements cannot be registered.
[26] Germany Germany 1 January 2005
  • In July 2011, The Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs stated that the existing law allows for second-parent adoption.

Other

Jurisdiction Entry into force Notes
[27] Croatia Croatia 5 August 2014
  • "Partner-guardianship"

Future legislation

Full joint adoption

Faroe Islands Faroe Islands: On 29 April 2016, the Faroese Parliament passed a bill allowing same-sex marriage and joint adoption.[28][29] The bill now awaits approval in the Danish Parliament.

Germany Germany: The opposition party The Left submitted a bill to the Federal Diet on 23 October 2013. It had its first reading on 19 December 2013.

Guernsey Guernsey: In May 2015, Guernsey's Chief Minister announced that a review of the 1960 Adoption Law which bars unmarried couples from adopting was scheduled for 24 June 2015.[30] The Chief Minister hopes to extend full adoption rights to couples in overseas civil partnerships and those who have lived together for some time.[31][32] On 24 June 2015, the States of Guernsey agreed to bring about changes to its adoption law.[33][34]

Step-child adoption

Czech Republic Czech Republic: In September 2014, a group of deputies introduced a bill to allow step-child adoption by a partner of the same-sex.[35] In October, the government decided to not take a stance on the bill.[36] In June 2016 the Constitutional Court ruled that people living in registred partnership are allowed to adopt children.[37] Same-sex couples still have not access to joint and step-child adoption but one of partners can adopt, even if lives in partnership.

San Marino San Marino: In March 2016, the United Left announced a proposal for a gender-neutral partnership bill with adoption rights. The junior coalition partner, the Party of Socialists and Democrats, expressed their openness to same-sex parenting and may submit their own bill with step-child adoption rights.[38]

Switzerland Switzerland: In 2011 and 2012, the Swiss Parliament debated whether to extend step-child adoption or full joint adoption, ultimately opting for step-child adoption. In November 2014, the government approved allowing step-child adoption as part of a broader adoption reform.[39] In 2016, the Council of States and the National Council approved a bill to allow step-child adoption. Differing texts caused the two chambers to agree on a final, slightly modified version of the bill that was passed in Parliament on 17 June 2016 by a vote of 125-68 with 3 abstentions.[40][41] Members of several parties have announced an effort to force a referendum following the publication of Parliament's positive decision on the bill in the country's Federal Gazette,[42] but failed to collect the required 50'000 signatures in time allowing the law to be enacted.[43]

Public opinion

According to pollster Gallup Europe, women, younger generations, and the highly educated are more likely to support same-sex marriage and adoption rights for gay people than other demographics.[44]

In the United Kingdom in 2007, 64% of people said they thought gay couples should be allowed to adopt and 32% said they should not. 55% of respondents thought that male couples should be able to adopt and 59% of people thought that lesbian couples should be able to adopt.[45]

Opinion polls for same-sex adoption
Country Pollster Year For Against Don't Know/Neutral/No answer/Other
 Austria IMAS 2015 46%[46] 48%[46] 6%
 Belgium Ipsos 2013 67%[47] 33%[47] 0%[47]
 Bulgaria Eurobarometer 2006 12%[48] 68%[48] 20%[48]
 Cyprus Eurobarometer 2006 10%[48] 86%[48] 4%[48]
 Czech Republic Median 2016 48%[49] 48%[49] 4%[49]
 Denmark YouGov 2012 59%[50] 31%[50] 11%[50]
 Estonia ASi 2012 26%[51] 66%[51] 8%[51]
 Finland Taloustutkimus 2013 51%[52] 42%[52] 7%[52]
 France BVA 2015 57%[53] 41%[53] 2%[53]
 Germany YouGov 2015 57%[54] 35%[54] 8%
 Greece Public Issue 2016 14%[55] 84%[55] 3%[55]
 Hungary Eurobarometer 2006 13%[48] 81%[48] 6%[48]
 Ireland Red C Poll 2011 60%[56] - -
 Italy Demos & Pi 2016 37%[57] 60%[57] 3%[57]
 Latvia Eurobarometer 2006 8%[48] 89%[48] 3%[48]
 Lithuania Eurobarometer 2006 12%[48] 82%[48] 6%[48]
 Luxembourg Politmonitor 2013 55%[58] 44%[58] 1%[58]
 Malta Eurobarometer 2006 7%[59] 85%[59] 9%[59]
 Netherlands Eurobarometer 2006 69%[59] 27%[59] 4%[59]
 Norway YouGov 2012 54%[50] 34%[50] 12%[50]
 Poland CBOS 2013 8%[60] 87%[60] 5%[60]
 Portugal Expresso 2014 40.4%[61] 39.1%[61] 20.5%
 Romania Eurobarometer 2006 8%[48] 82%[48] 10%[48]
 Russia VTsIOM 2015 3%[62] 88% 9%
 Serbia GSA 2010 8%[63] 79% 13%
 Slovakia Eurobarometer 2006 12%[48] 84%[48] 4%[48]
 Slovenia Delo Stik 2015 38%[64] 55%[64] 7%[64]
 Spain Ipsos 2013 73%[47] 27%[47] 0%[47]
 Sweden Ipsos 2013 78%[47] 21%[47] 1%[47]
  Switzerland Pink Cross 2016 50%[65] 39%[65] 11%[65]
 Ukraine Gay Alliance of Ukraine 2013 7% [66] 68%[66] 12%
13% would allow some exceptions[66]
 United Kingdom Ipsos 2013 65%[47] 35%[47] 0%[47]

See also

References

  1. (Catalan) Llei 34/2014, del 27 de novembre, qualificada de les unions civils i de modificació de la Llei qualificada del matrimoni, de 30 de juny de 1995.
  2. (German) Homosexuelle dürfen künftig adoptieren – ohne Gesetzesnovelle
  3. (Dutch) Wet van 18 mei 2006 tot wijziging van een aantal bepalingen van het Burgerlijk Wetboek, teneinde de adoptie door personen van hetzelfde geslacht mogelijk te maken
  4. (Danish) Lov om ændring af lov om registreret partnerskab, lov om en børnefamilieydelse og lov om børnetilskud og forskudsvis udbetaling af børnebidrag
  5. (Swedish) Lag om ändring av äktenskapslagen
  6. (French) LOI n° 2013-404 du 17 mai 2013 ouvrant le mariage aux couples de personnes de même sexe
  7. (Danish) L35/Beh1-12/140 L 35 Forslag til lov om ændring af myndighedsloven for Grønland, lov om ikrafttræden for Grønland af lov om ægteskabets retsvirkninger, retsplejelov for Grønland og kriminallov for Grønland.
  8. CIVIL PARTNERSHIP ACT 2014
  9. (Icelandic) Lög um breytingu á lagaákvæðum er varða réttarstöðu samkynhneigðra (sambúð, ættleiðingar, tæknifrjóvgun)
  10. "Children and Family Relationships Act 2015". Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  11. Civil Partnership Act 2011
  12. Civil Partnership (Jersey) Law 2012
  13. (French) Mémorial A n° 125 de 2014
  14. AN ACT to regulate civil unions and to provide for matters connected therewith or ancillary thereto
  15. (Dutch) Wet openstelling huwelijk
  16. (Dutch) Invoeringswet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba
  17. (Norwegian) Lov om endringer i ekteskapsloven, barnelova, adopsjonsloven, bioteknologiloven mv. (felles ekteskapslov for heterofile og homofile par)
  18. (Portuguese) Lei n.º 2/2016 de 29 de fevereiro
  19. (Spanish) Ley 13/2005, de 1 de julio, por la que se modifica el Código Civil en materia de derecho a contraer matrimonio
  20. Adoption and Children Act 2002
  21. Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007
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  26. (Croatian) Zakon o životnom partnerstvu osoba istog spola
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  31. Billet D'Etat 24th June 2015: Pages 25-32
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  34. (Czech) Sněmovní tisk 320 Novela z. o registrovaném partnerství
  35. (Czech) Vláda se neshodla na novele o adopci registrovanými partnery
  36. (Czech)http://www.usoud.cz/fileadmin/user_upload/Tiskova_mluvci/Publikovane_nalezy/2016/Pl._US_7_15_vcetne_disentu_na_web.pdf
  37. San Marino. Unioni civili, presto sul tavolo tre bozze di legge
  38. Adoption par le conjoint du même sexe: le Conseil fédéral a livré sa copie, 29 November 2014, 360.ch
  39. Swiss Parliament votes in favor of stepchild adoption
  40. Touzain, François (17 June 2016). ""Oui" final à la réforme de l'adoption" (in French). 360°.
  41. Un comité va contrer le droit à l’adoption pour les couples homosexuels
  42. Stiefkindadoption Die Evolution der Familie (in German)
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