This report (edited by Kees Waaldijk) includes contributions by Daniel Damonzé, Marie Digoix, Marina Franchi, Natalie Nikolina, José Ignacio Pichardo Galán, Giulia Selmi, Matias de Stéfano Barbero,... Show moreThis report (edited by Kees Waaldijk) includes contributions by Daniel Damonzé, Marie Digoix, Marina Franchi, Natalie Nikolina, José Ignacio Pichardo Galán, Giulia Selmi, Matias de Stéfano Barbero, Matthias Thibeaud, Jose A.M. Vela, Kees Waaldijk, and Giuseppe Zago.This report offers a comparative analysis of legal and other data concerning same-sex (and different-sex) families, in marriage, in registered partnership, and in cohabitation. These data (from a legal survey among legal experts in 21 European countries, from sociological interviews with same-sex families in four European countries, and from a statistical survey of twelve European countries) have been brought together in the LawsAndFamilies Database – Aspects of legal family formats for same-sex and different-sex couples (www.LawsAndFamilies.eu). The report presents the database and the methodology of the legal survey, followed by an overview and analysis of the main results of that survey for the different countries in light of European minimum standards, plus five comparative cases studies on specific legal issues for which the database now provides detailed information, and a synthesis of the findings from the qualitative interviews. The conclusion highlights the main findings on the situation of same-sex couples, including gender aspects, and offers recommendations for further research and for legal policy; it connects legal and sociological findings, and presents correlations between laws, public attitudes, and statistics. The general theme of the report is increasing legal equality for increasing diversity of families.The text of the legal LawsAndFamilies questionnaire, plus the text of the guidance document provided to legal experts answering this questionnaire, is available at http://www.familiesandsocieties.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/WP64-Waaldijketal2016.pdf. Show less
January 2017 sees the publication of The LawsAndFamilies Database (ed. by Kees Waaldijk et al.). This database is one of the milestones of the larger EU-funded FamiliesAndSocieties research project... Show moreJanuary 2017 sees the publication of The LawsAndFamilies Database (ed. by Kees Waaldijk et al.). This database is one of the milestones of the larger EU-funded FamiliesAndSocieties research project. This new online open-access resource will make it easier to find and compare legal information about marriage, registered partnership and cohabitation in European countries. The database is accessible via www.LawsAndFamilies.eu.The information in the database has been provided by selected legal experts in 21 countries in the European Economic Area (typically two experts per country). In a questionnaire the experts were asked, for some 60 typical legal consequences and formalities of marriage, to what degree and since when these consequences and formalities are now available to same-sex and/or different-sex couples via one or more of three possible legal family formats (marriage, registered partnership, cohabitation). Show less
