Saras World

National, cross-border and European perspectives

Since 1989, when Denmark became the first country to introduce registered partnerships, the legal recognition of same-sex relationships has been on the political agenda in many countries. By now, half of the Member States of the EU have introduced legislation on the formalisation of same-sex relationships.

The conference will discuss the difficulties, same-sex couples might face if they live abroad or want to get divorced in another country as not only the substantive law of the Member States but also their private international law approaches differ to a large extent. The legal aspects of parenthood and surrogate motherhood will also be on the agenda.

Furthermore, different issues of European and international law will be addressed: they include rights granted under the European Convention of Human Rights, the question of non-discrimination, including employment conditions and pension rights, and family reunification.

Speakers

Professor Katharina Boele-Woelki, UCERF, Molengraaff Institute for Private Law, University of Utrecht; Dr Ian Curry-Sumner, UCERF, Molengraaff  Institute for Private Law University of Utrecht; Professor Cristina González Beilfuss, University of Barcelona; Dr Helmut Graupner, Attorney at Law, Vienna; Professor Maarit Jänterä-Jareborg, University of Uppsala; Dr Monika Jagielska, University of Silesia, Katowice; Ms Ingrid Lund-Andersen, University of Copenhagen; Professor emeritus Dieter Martiny, University of Frankfurt (Oder) / Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Hamburg; Professor Frederik Swennen, University of Antwerp Law Research School; Dr Helen Toner, Associate Professor, Warwick School of Law; Professor Bea Verschraegen, University of Vienna and Uninova Private University Bratislava; Dr Machteld Vonk, UCERF, Molengraaff Institute for Private Law, University of Utrecht; Professor Patrick Wautelet, University of Liège

For more information, please visit our web site at www.era.int.

Trier, 11-12 April 2011
25% discount for lawyers in private practice