Comments on: Same-sex couples denied EU right to freedom of movement

By: Sam Lewis

Sam Lewis — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 13:50:32 +0000

It's completely mental that these countries won't let people in because of their sexuality!!!!! If they did the same to another minority group e.g.Latinos, then all hell would break loose about racism & equal rights, they should wake up and realise that discriminating against LGBT people is just as bad as any other minority group in the world!

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By: Carl

Carl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:04:56 +0000

Just got another email to say that Charles Tannock (Conservative) has also signed the declaration.

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By: Carl

Carl — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:00:09 +0000

I believe that it is important to get as many of our MEPs as possible to sign up to the declaration mentioned in this article. The easiest way to do this is via the website writetothem.com . All you do is type in your postcode and you can email all of your MEP’s with one email. On Friday I sent the following to the London MEPs:

“Could you please let me know, as my MEP, whether or not you have signed Sharon Bowles' MEP declaration calling for Member States with existing same-sex partnership legislation to recognise the arrangements of other Member States that have also made provisions for same-sex partnerships. It also calls upon the Commission to draw up guidelines for such mutual recognition by Member States with existing same-sex partnership legislation.

If you have not yet signed this declaration, I would urge you to do so.

If you feel as though you can't sign the declaration, I would be grateful if you write back to me with your reasons why.

Thank you for your assistance on this request.”

Already I have an email from John Bowis (Conservative) and Mary Honeyball (Labour) to say that they have signed the declaration.

Give it a go and let your MEPs know that they have constituents who care about this issue.

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By: Jorgito

Jorgito — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:03:52 +0000

Everything is so perfectly written in European Directives and I am sure EU Commision makes efforts to help all these poor and so pathetic eastern and mediterranean countries to get out of their conservatism but when it comes to homosexuality everyone remembers all of a sudden he/she is religious. One month ago, civil partnership came into force in Greece only for straights. Freedom of movement, my ass.. Bulgaria is gonna do the same.. And no European court can help us.. Civil law is restricted to EU states. They don't care about discrimination. In Greece, where military is still obligatory for all males (despite the fact it constitutes violence of human rights) all gays are going there extremely scared because if one finds out they are homosexual then they are classified as mentally disturbed, and this means they are condemned not to find ever a job in Greece where every employer asks for discharge papers. Gays are kicked out of the military and humiliated before their parents and the society. Many soldiers in Greece commit suicide cause they can't stand the pressure. EU human rights and European courts, huh? It's ridiculous. Many western Europeans think EU is a uniform culturally community, they are unaware of the hell we're going through every day because we are just second class citizens.. From a gay greek guy who'd love to give up his shameless nationality and still cannot do it 'cause he hasn't got discharge papers.

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By: Carl

Carl — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:06:13 +0000

I believe that it is important that as many people as possible write to their MEPs and ask them to sign up to the Sharon Bolwes MEP declaration mentioned in the article. It is really easy to do. Go to http://www.writetothem.com and enter your postcode. The wbsite then enables you to write to all of your MEPs with one email.
It’s probably best if you write your own email, but if that sounds like too much trouble then you could cut and paste the following:

If you have not yet signed this declaration, I would urge you to do so.

If you feel as though you can't sign the declaration, I would be grateful if you write back to me with your reasons why.

Thank you for your assistance on this request.”

Writetothem will then send you an email which you have to respond to, and your email will be sent to all of your MEPs.

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By: andy

andy — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:24:26 +0000

i'm actually quite hopeful. Initially Spain didn't recognise British civil partnerships, probably because they were hung up on the word marriage, but after a bit of negociation British Civil Partnerships are recognised as equal to Spanish gay marriages, I'm sure that as discussions are already taking place between Britain and France, civil partnerships will be accepted by the French in the same way PACS are accepted by the British, And as the article say 14 states don't yet recognise other members gay partnership legislation, that means 11 do…I agree there's not a lot of hope with some of the new member states , though Hungary and the Czech Republic and Slovenia are already way ahead of countries like Poland and Latvia. It'll happen certainly. But what would make the biggest difference is for America ( and Australia ) to join the rest of the civilised western world by legally recognising gay partnerships at a national level….here's hoping

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By: john wilfred sharp

john wilfred sharp — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 02:45:38 +0000

the EU should impose a single law to legalize LGBT unions.
this then would be valid acroos all the EU lands
thus full equality, so stop talking just do it !

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By: Shay

Shay — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 02:18:43 +0000

Ireland should hurry up and introduce that legislation. Then I may live in my sweetie's home country…

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By: Har Davids

Har Davids — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:31:32 +0000

Only countries with the same attitude concerning things like same-sex couples, abortion, euthanasia etcetera should have been allowed to be members of the EU. There's still too much religious meddling in some countries.

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By: Robert, ex-pat Brit

Robert, ex-pat Brit — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:00:36 +0000

Matt, check out the link below. Select the constituency and it will provide you with a list of who is who. Hope this helps.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/members/public/geoSearch/zoneList.do;jsessionid=BCA6AF9D88E9ED4456585CBA8DDB5C16.node1?country=GB&language=EN

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By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:13:19 +0000

Hmm. 10 comments on Eurovision, 1 comment on this issue. We should demand more from our MEPs. I have to admit I have no clue who mine is.

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By: Robert, ex-pat Brit

Robert, ex-pat Brit — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:12:59 +0000

Zazou, that's not going to happen. I blame the EU Commission for not mandating all member states to ratify same-sex recognition across the board. The political will just isn't there I don't think. The only countries in Europe that enjoy full recognition in one another's countries are Holland, Belgium, Spain and soon Norway. Those marriages are also recognised in Canada, New York State (even though that state doesn't yet have marriage equality), the state of Massachusetts and I believe the state of Connecticut. South Africa, another country that allows gay couples to marry I'm sure reciprocates with those nations and states I've mentioned.

The only way that the EU is going to resolve this huge problem is to mandate same-sex recognition in every member state without except or regard to cultural differences, but I don't think we'll be alive to ever see that come to fruition.

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By: ZAZOU

ZAZOU — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:33:30 +0000

Whatever the name of the union – this union should give same rights as marriage and be accepted within the european union
Simply !!!

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