As it stands, in Spain, married couples and couples in civil partnerships do not have equal rights. For example, civil partners cannot declare their income jointly, despite living together as if they were married. Equally, civil partners with large families cannot secure that official status under the law, even though they have the same needs as the large families of married couples. Inequality even continues when a partner dies: if there is no proof of dependence on the deceased, the surviving civil partner cannot claim a survivor’s pension.

These legal discrepancies come into play when couples are deciding how to define relationships.

1. Will the Commission carry out an impact assessment on such inequalities in the EU?

2. Does the Commission intend to take steps to ensure that no person may be discriminated against on the basis of their marital status, whether they are in a marriage or a civil partnership?