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Dignity alert: Cross-border Recognition of Civil Status supersedes Member States Legislation
Use WYA’s analysis to respond to the European Commission’s consultation!
The European Commission has issued a Green Paper on the topic of mutual recognition of civil status documents in the European Union. This would mean Europe-wide “automatic recognition” of documents pertaining to birth registration, marriage, adoption, and citizenship, among other things.
The purpose is to streamline procedures among Member States and reduce the bureaucracy that is required for normal citizens to have their civil status documents recognized when they travel to or live in various Member States.
The Commission has launched a public consultation on the issue and we are encouraging our members to contribute their opinions on this important matter. Instructions for submitting a contribution will follow this text. Below are reasons why automatic recognition of civil status documents across Member States may create more problems than it solves and may involve issues of State sovereignty and policies that violate the dignity of the human person.
