ILGA-Europe’s key demands for the recognition of diverse families

Position on partnership and parenting, adopted in October 2006, revised in 2014.

ILGA-Europe strives for equality in law, public policies and practices relating to any form of partnership (including marriage, registered partnership and cohabitation) and parenting (reproductive rights, adoption, fostering and parental responsibility). ILGA-Europe particularly strives for the elimination of restrictions on the rights and responsibilities of partners and parents based on sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Furthermore, ILGA-Europe supports an inclusive understanding of family that is not dependent only on the legal status of marriage or partnership but also on the recognition of de facto family links. Most importantly, the rights of the child are at the core and guiding ILGA-Europe’s demands for recognition of diverse families.

See also

News

Poland: Supreme Administrative Court confirms EU law obligation to recognise same-sex marriages concluded abroad

On 20 March 2026, Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court issued a landmark ruling implementing an earlier CJEU judgment and confirming that the refusal to transcribe same-sex […]
read more
News

Proposed new Civil Code will distance Ukraine from EU Accession

A critical legal development posing a significant threat to the rights and legal security of LGBTI people will jeopardise Ukraine’s chances of EU membership. Brussels, […]
read more
Podcast

The Frontline: Lessons in people power – The Irish Marriage Referendum, 10 years on

Ten years after Ireland’s landmark marriage equality referendum, this episode of The Frontline offers a powerful and insight rich talk for LGBTI activists, community organisers […]
read more
Blog

Q&A: Everything you want to know about the recent ruling on recognition of same-sex marriages in the EU

Here is a concise overview of what the new Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) ruling means for same sex couples moving or living […]
read more
News

We welcome the EU’s Top Court landmark judgment: Member States Must Recognise Same-Sex Marriages from Other EU Countries

The EU Court of Justice has ruled that it is unlawful for Poland to refuse to recognise a same-sex marriage concluded by two Polish citizens […]
read more
Press Release

From Courtrooms to Parliament: Lithuania Faces a Defining Moment for Family Equality

Lithuania is entering a decisive phase in the recognition and protection of diverse families. Following landmark judicial rulings, civil partnership is now firmly on the […]
read more
News

CJEU Advocate General: Member States Must Recognise Same-Sex Marriages from Other EU Countries

An opinion from the EU Court of Justice’s Advocate General states that Member States must recognise same-sex marriages performed in other EU countries to ensure […]
read more
News

Lithuanian Court Declares anti-LGBTI law unconstitutional

In a significant decision yesterday, Lithuania’s Constitutional Court ruled that a 15-year long ban on public depictions of LGBTI families should be repealed. The Constitutional […]
read more
News

Top European Court holds hearing on Polish refusal to recognise same-sex marriage certificate

Case could establish critical precedent for the freedom of movement of same-sex couples within the EU Yesterday, the Court of Justice of the European Union […]
read more
Press Release

The ILGA-Europe conference, the largest LGBTI conference in Europe and Central Asia, meets in Bucharest this weekend

The ILGA-Europe Annual Conference, the largest LGBTI conference of its kind in Europe, has brought over 400 LGBTI activists from across Europe and Central Asia […]
read more
News

Joint statement: Welcoming European Court judgement on Poland’s failure to protect same-sex couples married abroad

The European Court of Human Rights has found that Poland breached the right to respect for the family life of two same-sex Polish couples married […]
read more
News

Greece adopts historic bill introducing marriage equality

We welcome and celebrate with local activists the news that the Greek parliament has adopted an historic bill introducing marriage equality, granting marriage and adoption […]
read more
Blog

Attacks on LGBTI rights in Italy are human rights violations, Commissioner reports

Since the new Italian government came into power in 2022, it has been toying with the rights of LGBTI people. Draft legislation that would do […]
read more
News

Poland must ensure that same-sex couples are legally recognised, European Court rules

The European Court of Human Rights has issued a judgement against Poland in a case taken by five same-sex couples in the country, seeking to […]
read more
News

JOINT STATEMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN ITALY

Today, November 20, we celebrate UN World Children’s Day, and feel compelled to draw attention to the recent developments in Italy where some children no […]
read more
News

Romania failed to protect same-sex couples, European court rules

European court has found that Romania breached the right to respect for the family life of 21 same-sex Romanian couples by failing to recognise their relationships.
read more
Blog

For good and bad: The trending impacts on LGBTI human rights in Europe and Central Asia

The most striking finding of ILGA-Europe’s Annual Review 2023 is a stark rise in the ferocity of anti-LGBTI hate and violence reported in Europe and Central Asia. But alongside this worrying trend, there are positive developments in areas such as legal gender recognition, public support, intersex human rights and civil society. Here are the key highlights.
read more
News

Bulgaria’s Supreme Court Rejects Baby Sara’s Bulgarian Citizenship

Arguing that Baby Sara is not a Bulgarian citizen, the country’s Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) said that their decision not to grant a birth certificate […]
read more
News

European Court rules against Lithuania labelling LGBTI-inclusive fairytale book harmful to children

Published in 2013 by the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences and written by the late lesbian writer, Neringa Dangvyde Macate, the book was entitled ‘Amber […]
read more
Press Release

LGBTI organisations welcome EU parental recognition proposal with the best interests of the child at its core

EU-wide parenthood recognition is key in ensuring equal protection for all children in the Union, say ILGA-Europe and NELFA.
read more
Blog

Update: The Rights of Rainbow Families in the EU

The Court of Justice of the EU has ruled in two occasions over recent months that EU countries must protect the freedom of movement of rainbow families. This is a right all EU citizens should enjoy, LGBTI people too. In today’s blog, we bring you the state of LGBTI people’s family rights in different EU countries.
read more
News

Rainbow families have the right to move and reside freely, EU court reiterates

The Court of Justice of the EU has stated that birth certificates issued in an EU country must be recognised across the EU, and that EU countries should protect the freedom of movement of rainbow families.
read more
News

Complaint Filed with EC Against Lack of Free Movement for Same-sex Couples in Hungary

ILGA-Europe, alongside a Hungarian activist organisation, have filed a complaint against Hungary because of its refusal to implement the 2018 Coman judgement, which recognises that […]
read more
News

Bulgarian Court Rules Baby Sara Must Be Issued Birth Certificate

A Bulgarian court has ordered city hall authorities in the capital city of Sofia to issue a birth certificate to the baby born to a […]
read more
Case Law

A.B. and K.V. v Romania

Recognition of same-sex marriages in the context of freedom of movement in the EU through the prism of implementation of CJEU’s Coman judgment Submitted jointly […]
read more
Blog

How Baby Sara and her mums have pushed forward the rights of all rainbow families across the EU

When an EU country recognises a child and its same-sex parents as a family, all EU countries should recognise them as such, so to guarantee their freedom of movement. This is what the EU’s top court ruled in December. But how this case has advanced LGBTI rights in the European Union and what comes next for rainbow families?
read more
Press Release

Top EU Court Recognises Relationship of Same-sex Parents and their Children Under EU Law

In a landmark judgement, the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that a child and its same-sex parents must be recognised as […]
read more
Case Law

Coman and Others v Romania

Recognition of same-sex marriages in the context of freedom of movement in the EU through the prism of implementation of CJEU’s Coman judgment.
read more
Blog

How trans parents are better protected after European Court ruling

Recently, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in favour of a trans woman in Russia who was denied access to her children because of her gender identity and transition. Read on to find out how this may benefit all trans and LGBTI parents in Europe.
read more
News

European Court rules in favour of the best interest of the child in same-sex custody case

The European Court of Human rights has ruled that the refusing a mother custody of her youngest child on the grounds of her sexual orientation to be discriminatory and a violation of her right to private and family life.
read more