However, married and/or registered same-sex couples face a number of obstacles and are being discriminated against when there move around the European Union. This is because not all EU countries recognise each other’s laws which regulate marriage and registered partnerships for same-sex couples. This way one of the fundamental basic principles upon which the EU was built – freedom of movement – is being seriously undermined.

In 2004, the European Union adopted a new Directive on the right to free movement which only encourage EU member states to facilitate this right for married and/or registered same-sex partners and does not create an obligation to do so. ILGA-Europe was behind this partial victory for same-sex couples. You can view our Guidelines on how this Directive should be implemented to secure the right of free movement to same-sex couples.

Tonight’s debate was initiated by a number of the members of the European Parliament from various political groups. These questions are addressed to the European Commission and ask how the European Commission is planning to address the issue of discrimination which married and/or registered same-sex couples experience in the EU, namely restrictions to their freedom of movement rights, and lack of automatic recognition of civil status.

You can read the questions on the website of the European Parliament. Please scroll down the agenda.

Webcast of this debate will be available on EuroParlTV.