Tutorial 1 – Civil status across the EU
Freedom of movement of persons is one of the four fundamental freedoms of EU law. It is
recognised to EU citizens and their family members, and also, to some extent, to third
country nationals. If Union citizenship and free movement of persons are to be taken
seriously, then this arguably necessitates the recognition of names (as shown by the case
law of the CJEU) but also civil status matters and family relationships.
In this tutorial , we will consider the current rules on free movement as they apply or not
apply to Union families (regulation de lege lata), expose gaps and obstacles faced by
individuals and couples when they attempt to invoke their free movement rights (i.e. when
they decide to move to and reside in another EU Member State), and discuss
recommendations for future legal action (regulation de lege ferenda). We will consider these
matters in the context of civil marriage, registered partnerships, cohabitation and intersex
status.
Notes
A contract with a right and obligation = marriage. The joining of two persons
which gives obligations and rights. You can not marry someone else in Europe
and there are terms with children. Marriage is fundamental to society. A
consequent to the state of the state when people are not married, why do you
want people to marry? → producing children because historically that was the
purpose of marriage. Taxation, immigration, tights and responsibilities.
Cohabitation is a different type of relationship than marriage and registered partnership.
Jurisdictions have rules if they have lived together for a couple of years but mostly when
there is a child involved.
To sign a that you are married you need to sign that at the gemeente, this differs from a
normal contract. With a civil service witness. It is something that the state wants something
to say about. You can only do it by the conditions that the state decides. The whole meaning
of contract law is that it is horizontal but marriage is vertical because you need permission of
the state by marriage and divorce. There is an enormous tension between private and public
law. The social aspect of family law, what you feel is different from the law.
No matter what your feelings are, legally it can have different consequences, for
example with death.
So meaning in a legal term is different then the terms in social terms.
In order to make a question in the exam:
1) identify the legal question - private/ european law
Example; Wittgenstein. The question is how to change the name but the
woman just wanted to be treated like a noble, that was her real question but that is
no legal question
2) Are there any EU/international instruments?
Example: The Netherlands and Saudi-Arabië, married there and live in the
Netherlands. If we consider someone married, there are no treaties. So there are no
, instruments other than we apply the domestic private international law rules. Usually
(not always) the domestic course and the law. There is a basic public policy
exception, what law we do not apply, such as Saudi- Arabian law.
Even if you apply EU/int instrumentents law you still need to look at the domestic law.
Your international treaties do not tell you anything substantive and what the rules are.
It only tells you;
- Which law to apply
- What course hearse your case
3) Apply
______ we usually stop here
4) Solve
Literature
- J. M. Scherpe, European Family Law Volume I, Chapter 7
Volume III chapter 1 and 4
Lex fori = law of the forum Volume III, Chapters 1
Three models of registration
1. Monistic model
= no separate registration scheme for same-sex couples is created. Instead the
prohibition on same-sex marriage is removed, in turn creating a single, formalised
institution open both to same-sex and opposite-sex couples, namely marriage.
- Portugal
2. Dualistic model
= a registry which is restricted to same-sex couples is created. Opposite-sex couples
wishing to formalise their relationship are able to do so via traditional marriage. In this
, model, two institutions operate side-by-side; one for opposite-sex couples, that is,
marriage, and one for same-sex couples, that is, ‘registered partnership’.
a. Time fase 1: two systems side-by-side
b. Time fase 2: Equivalent to the monistic model
3. Pluralistic model
= couples are offered two possibilities for formalising their relationship, irrespective of
their gender, namely marriage or a form of non-marital registered relationship.
a. First time-period: opening non-marital registration to both different
and same-sex couples, whilst leaving marriage legislation entirely intact
and unaltered.
b. Once this has been achieved, the arguments for opening civil marriage to
same-sex couples are strengthened, since the discrimination originally faced
by same-sex couples, in not being able to marry, is simply replaced with a
new form of discrimination; although different-sex couples are offered a
choice of relationship forms, same-sex couples are not.