Same-Sex Unions in EU.

[Raccoon Love]

http://eurout.org/2010/11/24/europe...-countries-recognise-existing-same-sex-unions

On Tuesday the European Parliament reaffirmed that the effects of civil documents (birth and death certificates, marriage certificates, etc.) must remain the same throughout the European Union.

This implies that all couples, including same-sex couples in marriages or civil partnerships, must retain their rights in all EU countries. Currently, same-sex couples often lose the rights given by their existing marriage or civil partnership when travelling in the European Union.

In its just-adopted report on civil, commercial, family and private international law, the European Parliament

 

[NaeturVindur]

Well, this means that the EU will probably all honor the rights held by same-sex couples. However, the nation still maintain their sovereignty, and the more conservative nations will probably try to block the EU-wide gay marriage thing. However, I hope that they use the right language. I hold that separate is not equal, and that either everyone gets civil unions (leaving marriage to the churches) or everyone gets marriage. As it is with this new proposal, the difference between marriage and civil union will be upheld.

 

[Praefect]

I see that as a very likely outcome. Even the Christian Democratic Union does not appose same sex marriage in any way. The only thing that they do oppose, so far, is rewarding it financially, with the argument that there is no "legal necessity" (yet). This refers to, for instance, employees of the state that if married get a monetary family bonus on top of their normal pay. This is what our opposition looks like, at least here in Germany. And the constitutional courts are going to take care of that before the debate is even over, that is pretty much the consensus.

So, if there is an opposition to this, I don't see it coming from Germany.