Event report

As part of the conclusions after our conference, I provide you with a report from our panel: Regulating what marriage is outside the European Union’s competence. The legal situation is currently changing due to the forthcoming CJEU rulings, which replace the legal protection of non-hetero-normative persons, which is lacking in some Member States. This includes recognition of the principle of free movement of persons, i.e. respect for the family status of same-sex marriages throughout the EU. However, the case-law of the CJEU to date is insufficient. The solution could be to regulate this area of civil law in the Treaty, to issue a regulation by the European Commission — but such initiatives would have to be supported by the political support of most Member States. A viable way forward will be to resolve further emerging cases at the Court of Justice of the European Union.