Intercountry adoption of Romanian children

29.6.2010

Question for written answer E-5211/2010
to the Commission
Rule 117
Cristiana Muscardini (PPE)

The Romanian law on intercountry adoptions stipulates that ‘the intercountry adoption of a child domiciled in Romania may be authorised only if the adopter or one of the adopting spouses resident abroad is a grandparent of the child for whom the opening of national adoption procedures has been authorised’. It also states that ‘the intercountry adoption of a child domiciled in Romania may be authorised only if the adopter or one of the adopting spouses resident abroad is a relative to the third degree inclusive of the child for whom the opening of national adoption procedures has been authorised’. Both provisions are in flagrant violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and of the Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, concluded in The Hague on 29 May 1993 and ratified by the Romanian Parliament in October 1994.

1. Will Commission take measures with a view to the repeal of these articles?

2. Does it agree that Europe should establish a stringent legislative framework as soon as possible in connection with intercountry adoptions?

3. What steps will it take towards remedying the problem?

OJ C 191 E, 01/07/2011