Motion for a resolution - B8-0328/2014Motion for a resolution
B8-0328/2014

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the establishment of a European agency for intra-EU adoption

4.12.2014

pursuant to Rule 133 of the Rules of Procedure

Aldo Patriciello

B8‑0328/2014

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the establishment of a European agency for intra-EU adoption

The European Parliament,

–       having regard to Rule 133 of its Rules of Procedure,

A.     whereas adoption is a legal institution by which individuals who no longer have their natural parents or who are not acknowledged by them or cannot be raised by them may become the legitimate children of new parents;

B.     whereas international adoption makes it possible to adopt a child from a foreign country provided the latter is Party to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (a couple may also adopt a child from a country which is not Party to the Hague Convention provided a bilateral adoption agreement exists);

C.     whereas the numbers of international adoptions are constantly rising as social trends are becoming increasingly transnational;

D.     whereas there are a host of trustworthy bodies which assist prospective adoptive parents throughout the international adoption process and take care of the procedures necessary abroad in order to adopt a child, helping them in their dealings with foreign authorities and supporting them during the post-adoption stage;

E.     whereas completion of the adoption process takes a decidedly long time, being anything from between two to four years;

F.     whereas every Member State has its own body of laws on international adoption and provides independently for the accreditation of authorised bodies on the basis of national laws in force;

G.     whereas under Article 20 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (consolidated version) every person who holds the nationality of a Member State has EU citizenship which does not replace national citizenship but is additional to it;

H.     whereas, therefore, everyone born in a Member State is an EU citizen;

I.      whereas, by reason of the aforegoing, it can be stated with certainty that any child born within the territory of the European Union can be defined as an ʽEuropean Union childʼ;

1.      Calls on the Commission to adopt a new proposal for a regulation which would establish an EU body to manage intra-EU adoption in accordance with the procedures and rules to be set out in the selfsame regulation.