Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 15:20:20 -0800 (PST) From: Ron Buckmire Subject: MARRIAGE/PARTNERSHIP Status in various countries around the world Status of same-sex couples across Europe, in brief: DENMARK: In 1989 became the first country in the world to allow same-sex marriages. But gay couples cannot adopt children. SWEDEN: Has allowed homosexuals to register as partners in a sort of civil marriage since 1995. The couples cannot adopt children or have them through artificial means. NETHERLANDS: New law took effect earlier this year permitting gay and lesbian couples to marry, giving them the same pension, social security and inheritance rights as other married couples. Dutch Cabinet approved a plan in November to let homosexuals adopt children. The proposal will likely go before parliament early next year. ICELAND: Approved ``registered cohabitation'' in 1996, which gives gay couples many of the legal rights enjoyed by heterosexual married couples, but doesn't allow adoption. BELGIUM: A law passed in March gives gay couples inheritance rights and allows them to open joint bank accounts. FRANCE: Same-sex couples currently have no legal status. Bill to give some rights to homosexual and unmarried heterosexual couples is currently under heated debate in parliament. SPAIN: Gay couples have no official status. Northeastern Catalonia region, however, recently passed a law recognizing homosexual couples but barring them from adopting children or receiving inheritance benefits. ITALY: A few cities have taken the symbolic step of creating a register for unmarried couples, but the measures carry no legal weight. GERMANY: The new center-left government intends to grant some legal status to same-sex couples, but not the right to adopt children. BRITAIN: In July, about 100 British legislators voiced support for efforts to give homosexuals the right to receive partner's state pension after death. HUNGARY: Passed a law in 1996 granting gay couples inheritance rights, but law doesn't allow adoptions. -------------------------------------------------------------------- The message above was sent via the EGALE Queerlaw-Canada e-mail list. To unsubscribe send e-mail to queerlaw-can-request@egale.ca with unsubscribe as subject. For more info send e-mail to queerlaw-can-request@egale.ca with help as subject. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --- RON BUCKMIRE http://abacus.oxy.edu/~ron/ Asst. Prof., Math Dept., Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, L.A., CA 90041 ron@abacus.oxy.edu||+1 213 259 2536 (v)||+1 213 259 2958 (f)||Gore-Boxer 2000 Look for it in the