PRESS RELEASE

THE EP INTERGROUP ON GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS

On the EP opening up of civil marriage and adoption for same-sex couples.

The European Parliament has for the first time in history declared itself in favour of the opening up of civil marriage and adoption for same-sex couples


September 4th 2003, On Thursday the EP has voted the report[1] on the Situation on fundamental rights in the European Union in 2002.

MEP Joke Swiebel, Chair of the EP LGBT Rights Intergroup: "it came as a big surprise that a majority of the EP voted in favour of the paragraph stating that, the EP calls once again on the Member States to abolish all forms of discrimination - whether legislative or de facto - which are still suffered by homosexuals, in particular as regards the right to marry and adopt children."

Background Information:
This report is a yearly overview on the problems and improvements on human rights in the EU Member States. Every year the controversial issue of discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation has come up between the different political parties in the EP. For years the EP did not want to ask for more than the recognition of registered partnerships by Member States, to ask for legal marriage seemed to be a bridge too far.
Another important paragraph on the free movement has also been adopted: "the EP recommends that the Member States more generally recognise non-marital relationships, both heterosexual and homosexual, and confer the same rights on partners in these relationships as on those who are married, inter alia by taking the necessary steps to enable couples to exercise freedom of movement within the Union." Joke Swiebel: "These adopted paragraphs put new heart into all these millions of homosexuals and will help those people and organisations who have been fighting for equal rights for homosexuals in the future."

For more information: 02 284 5992 or jswiebel@europarl.eu.int
www.gayandlesbianrightsintergroup.org