sou · H9B356 · 2022-01-01 00:00:00 — It is proposed that the International Paternity Act (1985:367) will be revised to also cover parentage for the woman in a same-sex rela- tionship who has not given birth to the child, and maternity in certain cases, including for the woman who has not given birth to the child and is also not married to or cohabiting with the person who gave birth to the child. As a consequence of the Act no longer being restricted to paternity issues, it is proposed that the name will be changed to the Parentage in International Situations Act. Correspondingly, it is proposed that the Recognition of Nordic Paternity Decisions Act will be revised to also cover parentage for the woman in a same-sex relationship who has not given birth to the child. As a consequence of the Act no longer being restricted to paternity issues, it is proposed that the name will be changed to the Act on Recognition of Nordic Decisions concerning Paternity and Certain Other Types of Parentage. In contrast to what is proposed in the Paternity in International Situations Act, no rules regarding maternity are proposed in the Nordic statute. New rules regarding parentage following assisted abroad A legal basis is required in order for foreign parentage to be recog- nised in . There are no legal rules governing the situation when there are international aspects to a question regarding paren- tage of the woman in a same-sex couple who has not given birth to the child. A globalised world has resulted in families crossing bor- ders to an even greater degree. The Swedish regulatory regime must, therefore, function not only for different types of families that are formed in , but also for families that have moved here from other countries. The lack of legal rules means that, not infrequently, the parents and the child must undergo an unnecessary and protrac- ted procedure to achieve the same legal status as has been established abroad. In addition, current rules, which only cover paternity in international situations, mean that an unjustified distinction applies between same-sex couples and opposite-sexed couples. Further- more, in practice the law as it stands can amount to a restriction on the possibility to move between countries, which may conflict with the freedom of movement within the EU. It is proposed that, as is the case with paternity, parentage which has been established or has otherwise been recognised abroad, for the woman in a same-sex relationship who has not given birth to the child, might be recognised when she moves to . Correspon- dingly, it is proposed that this shall also apply if Swedish citizens domiciled abroad are involved, even if they do not intend to move to . With respect to parentage for the woman in a same-sex relation- ship who has not given birth to the child, the legislative proposal largely contemplates such international parentage as, under similar national circumstances, would be accepted in . It primarily involves a same-sex female couple who have become parents to a child abroad, after the mother, with the consent of the woman who was the mother’s spouse or cohabitee, has undergone assisted con- ception and given birth to the child. Legislative amendments are proposed in this respect in both the International Paternity Issues Act (1985:367) and the Recognition of Nordic Paternity Decisions Act (1979:1001). The proposed rules regarding parentage in international situa- tions have, in all essential respects, been drafted in a corresponding to the rules governing paternity in international situations. New rules on parentage following a move to for children who are the result of a surrogate arrangement There is no international consensus on the question of whether or not it should be allowed to become a parent through a surrogate arrangement. In , there are no rules regarding surrogate arrangements and it is not permitted to assist in a surrogacy arrange- ment in the Swedish health and care system. there are also no rules which make it possible for an intended mother to be legally regarded as the child’s mother, apart from those that apply in the case of adoption. However, surrogate arrangements occur in a number of countries. A reasonable starting point is that parents and children who move to should not be deprived of their parental status. The loss by a child of her or his parental status risks violating the child’s rights under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR). Further- more, such an approach might, in practice, restrict movement be- tween countries, which may be in conflict with the freedom of move- ment within the EU. In those cases where a child has been born through a surrogate arrangement abroad, already today paternity can often be recognised or established in . While paternity can thus often be recog- nised or established for the intended father (or fathers), the surrogate mother is still regarded as the child’s mother in , despite the fact that usually her intention has not been to become the mother of the child and that she is not lawfully regarded as the child’s mother in the country of birth. In many cases, the surrogate mother has had no relationship with the child. An intended mother does not have the same possibility as an in- tended father to have foreign parentage recognised in . Instead, the intended mother is recommended to commence an adoption procedure. The fact that, upon the family’s move to Swe- den, a child might initially lose a legal parent may entail a risk that the child will end up in a legally uncertain situation. With respect also to Swedish citizens who are domiciled abroad, the lack of vali- dity in of the foreign maternity may be of importance for the child’s possibility to become a Swedish citizen and acquire a name in accordance with Swedish law. The current legal situation also has the consequence that intended fathers and intended mothers are treated differently, which does not appear to be justified. The consequence of foreign maternity in these situations not applying or being recognised in is that despite, for example, the existence of a foreign judgment and an established family rela- tionship abroad, an adoption procedure must be commenced when the family moves here. This can also be required even if the child has grown up together with the intended parents and they have lived as a family for many years. If an adoption application is admissible, it is not certain that it will be approved. As a rule, an adoption proce- dure also takes a longer time than if the foreign maternity were to be recognised in . The legislation must be drafted so that the increasing cross- border mobility can be addressed without this leading to disadvan- tages for the child. There should be a clear and predictable arrange- ment for ensuring that the child has legal representatives. Children who move to must not risk losing a parent from a legal perspective, and parents must not risk losing the legal relationship with their children. Amendments are proposed in this respect based on the perspective of children’s rights, primarily the child’s interest in legal certainty and security. In those cases where the woman has had her main connection to another country, it is proposed that it will be possible to recognise a foreign of maternity after a surrogate arrangement, and such maternity which follows directly from foreign law. The new rules regarding maternity are essentially intended to provide a legal basis so that, for the woman who has not given birth to the child and was not married to or cohabiting with the person who gave birth to the child, her maternity might be recognised in in certain specific situations. As a rule, this involves situa- tions where a parent-child relationship has been established abroad and where, in many cases, adoption per se would be possible in Swe- den. In order for the proposed rule not to encourage circumvention of the parentage rules in the Parental Code, it is proposed that it shall be restricted to women who, in connection with the birth of the child, have had their main connection to a country other than . Thus, it is not proposed that the rules shall apply to those who were domiciled or residing in in connection with the birth of the child. The woman who has given birth to a child is regarded as the child’s mother without any statutory basis, irrespective of where the child was born. It is proposed that the new rules regarding maternity shall apply solely to maternity of the woman who has not given birth to the child and who was also not married to or cohabiting with the woman who gave birth to the child. In practice, it involves such maternity as has arisen by operation of law or been established for the intended mother following a surrogate arrangement abroad. maternity is recognised or is valid in pursuant to the pro- posed rules, this maternity will replace the maternity of the birth mother. The Inquiry also proposes that corresponding rules shall apply to paternity following a surrogate arrangement in respect of the man who is not genetically related to the child and who was not married to or cohabiting with the birth mother. In this way, the regulation will become more consistent and predictable. Special rules regarding parentage of children resulting from a surrogacy arrangement when the intended parents have their main connection to The legislation needs to be adapted to satisfy convention commitments There are cases where people suffering from involuntary childless- ness abroad to obtain a child through a surrogate arrangement. For couples in who have undergone surrogate arrangements abroad there is, in most cases, a legal connection between the child and one of the intended parents. The man whose gametes have been used and thus has a genetic connection to the child is generally regarded as the child’s father in . If the paternity has not been established abroad in a which is recognised in , the paternity can often be established in in such situations. For the other intended parent and for single women, there is , under existing rules, a possibility to apply for adoption of the child in order to become the child’s legal parent in . In many cases, in such a situation it is possible to adopt the child. However, in some cases there is no possibility for the child to obtain a legal representative in , while in other cases the child can only have a legal connection established to one of the two inten- ded parents (the father). In practice, problems can arise primarily in those cases where the intended parents have separated or where both of the intended parents need to adopt. In these cases, it is not certain that an adoption application can be granted, among other things, since a joint adoption requires that the intended parents are still married or cohabiting, that the other parent, as custodial guardian, consents to the adoption, and that no remuneration has been paid in respect of the adoption. The child’s rights under the ECHR have been deemed to require that a legal relationship can be established to both intended parents, in any event when a de facto family life exists between the child and the intended parent. The lack of predictability and clear rules as to what applies regarding the legal parentage of the child in these situa- tions places the child in a legally uncertain situation. Swedish legislation needs to be adapted to satisfy ’s inter- national obligations. The rules should be adapted to the change that has taken place in family life and the international legal development so as to satisfy the child’s right to private life and family life and be in accordance with the principle of the best interests of the child. Rules need to be introduced which ensure the child’s rights and best interests by making it possible to recognise the parental status in of an established family relationship between the child and its intended parents. At the same time, the proposals presented by the Inquiry must not encourage circumvention of Swedish law or surrogate arrangements abroad. Exceptions in the adoption rules when there are exceptional reasons to grant an adoption application so as to confirm an established family relationship The Inquiry has made the assessment that the legal recognition in of an established family relationship between a child and its intended parents should take place within the scope of the existing adoption legislation. It is proposed that certain provisions regarding adoption (as de- scribed below) shall not apply when there are exceptional reasons to grant an adoption application so as to confirm an established family relationship between the child and an intended parent. •Parties, other than spouses and cohabitees, shall be able to adopt jointly. Adoption shall be possible also in those cases where both of the intended parents need to adopt (because the man has no genetic connection to the child) and they are neither married nor cohabitees but, by way of example, have separated. In these cases, it shall thus be possible to make an exception to the rule that only spouses and cohabitees are permitted to adopt jointly. •It shall not be required that spouses or cohabitees adopt jointly. An intended parent who, for example, is married to a party other than the other intended parent shall thus be able to adopt the child alone. •Consent to adoption shall not be required from the other inten- ded parent in those cases where the parent is a custodial guardian. However, it shall not be possible (based on the provisions pro- posed here) to make an exception to the requirement of consent of the birth mother, if she is a custodial guardian. •It shall be possible to make exemptions from the prohibition on payment or compensation. •The adoption of a child by an intended parent shall not extinguish an existing parentage of the other intended parent. A child who has been adopted so as to confirm an established family relation- ship shall continue to be regarded as the child also of the other parent with whom the child has or has had a family relationship (despite the fact that the adoptive parent and the other parent are not married or cohabitees). •The intending parents shall have joint custody of the child. When a child has been adopted so as to confirm legally an established family relationship between the child and the adoptive parent, the child shall be under the custody of both the adoptive parent and the parent with whom the child has a corresponding family rela- tionship and who is a custodial guardian. The possibility for specially appointed custodial guardians is extended What is more, the Inquiry proposes a new rule regarding the right, following an application to the social welfare board, to entrust cus- tody to one or two specially appointed custodial guardians when a child has no custodial guardian. The rule may be applied if an appli- cation for adoption is protracted or when the conditions for adop- tion are not satisfied. 1.1Förslag till lag om ändring i Härigenom föreskrivs i fråga om föräldrabalken1 dels att 4 kap. 21 och 22 §§ ska ha följande lydelse, dels att det ska införas två nya paragrafer, 4 kap. 10 a § och 6 kap. 9 a §, och en ny rubrik närmast före 4 kap. 10 a § av följande lydelse. Adoption för att bekräfta en faktisk familjerelation i vissa fall En ansökan om adoption får bifallas även om en adoption annars inte skulle vara möjlig med hänsyn till bestämmelserna i 6, 8 och 10 §§, om den som vill adop- tera har haft för avsikt att vårda och fostra barnet som sitt eget sedan barnets födelse, adoptionen kommer att bekräfta en faktisk familjerelation mellan barnet och den som vill adoptera och det finns synnerliga skäl att bifalla adop- Det som sägs i 8 § gäller dock fortfarande i förhållande till 1Balken omtryckt 1995:974. den som fött barnet och som är bar- nets vårdnadshavare. Den som har adopterats ska anses som adoptivförälderns barn och inte som barn till sina tidigare föräldrar. Om en make eller sambo har adopterat den andra makens eller sambons barn, ska den som har adopterats dock anses som makarnas eller sambornas gemen- samma barn. Lag eller annan författning som tillägger släktskapet mellan barn och förälder rättslig betydelse ska tillämpas på den som har adopterats och hans eller hennes adoptivförälder. Första stycket gäller inte i den utsträckning något annat är särskilt föreskrivet eller följer av rättsförhållandets natur. När ett barn har adopterats för att bekräfta en faktisk familjerela- tion mellan barnet och adoptiv- föräldern enligt 10 a §, gäller inte första stycket första meningen i för- hållande till den förälder till vilken barnet har en motsvarande rela- tion. I sådana fall ska den som har adopterats anses som adoptivföräl- derns och den andra förälderns ge- mensamma barn. Om makar eller sambor gemensamt adopterar ett barn, står barnet under vårdnad av båda makarna eller samborna från den tid- punkt då adoptionsbeslutet får laga kraft. Detsamma gäller om en make eller sambo adopterar den andra makens eller sambons barn. Om en person i annat fall ensam adopterar ett barn, står barnet under vårdnad av adoptivföräldern från den tidpunkt då adoptionsbeslutet får laga kraft. I den situation som avses i 21 § tredje stycket står barnet under vårdnad av adoptivföräldern och den andra föräldern gemensamt 2Senaste lydelse 2018:1288. 3Senaste lydelse 2018:1288. om den andra föräldern redan är vårdnadshavare. Detta gäller från den tidpunkt då adoptionsbeslutet får laga kraft. I annat fall står barnet under vårdnad av adoptivföräldern ensam från samma tidpunkt. Om barnet i annat fall än som sägs i 9 § saknar vårdnadshavare, ska rätten på anmälan av social- nämnden anförtro vårdnaden åt en eller två särskilt förordnade vård- nadshavare. Denna lag träder i kraft . Denna lag gäller frågor om rättsliga föräldraskap till barn i in- ternationella situationer.I förhållande till , , och gäller lagen (1979:1001) om erkännan- de av nordiska avgöranden om faderskap och vissa andra föräldra- skap i stället för 7–10 b §§. Be- stämmelserna i 7, 7 b, 9 och 10 §§ tillämpas även i förhållande till dessa länder i fråga om moderskap för den kvinna som inte fött barnet och inte heller var gift eller sambo med den som fött barnet. 1.2Förslag till lag om ändring i lag (1985:367) om internationella faderskapsfrågor Härigenom föreskrivs i fråga om lagen (1985:367) om internationella faderskapsfrågor dels att lagens rubrik ska ha följande lydelse, dels att rubriken närmast före 2 § ska lyda ”Faderskap, moderskap och andra föräldraskap på grund av lag”, dels att 1, 4, 5, 6, 7–10 a och 12 §§ och rubrikerna närmast före 4 och 7 §§ ska ha följande lydelse, dels att det ska införas fem nya paragrafer, 2 a, 2 b, 2 c, 7 a och 7 b §§, av följande lydelse. Lag om föräldraskap i internationella situationer Denna lag gäller frågor om faderskap till barn i internationel- la förhållanden. I lagen finns också bestämmel- ser om föräldraskap enligt 1 kap. 9§ i internationel- la förhållanden. I förhållande till , , och gäller lagen (1979:1001) om erkännan- de av nordiska faderskapsavgöran- den i stället för 7–10 b §§. 4Senaste lydelse 2018:1280. En kvinna som är eller har varit gift med ett barns mor och som inte själv har fött barnet anses som barnets förälder om det följer av lagen i den stat där barnet vid födelsen fick hemvist. För det fall ingen anses som sådan förälder en- ligt den lagen, ska kvinnan anses som barnets förälder om det följer av lagen i en stat där barnet vid födelsen blev medborgare. Om barnet vid födelsen fick hemvist i , ska frågan om sådant föräldraskap dock alltid bedömas enligt svensk lag. Om det följer av lagen i den stat där barnet föddes att en man anses som barnets far, efter en in- semination eller befruktning utan- för kroppen av en kvinna som inte var mannens make eller sambo, ska mannen anses som barnets far även i , om han hade hem- vist och var bosatt utan avbrott i den andra staten under i samband med barnets födelse. Om det följer av lagen i den stat där barnet föddes att en kvin- na anses som barnets mor, trots att hon inte fött barnet och inte heller har varit gift eller sambo med den kvinna som fött barnet, ska hon anses som barnets mor även i , om hon hade hemvist och var bosatt utan avbrott i den and- ra staten under i sam- band med barnets födelse. Fastställelse och hävande av Fastställelse och hävande av faderskap och föräldraskap för en kvinna som var moderns Mål om faderskap får tas upp Mål om faderskap eller föräld- av svensk domstol om raskap för en kvinna som var mo- derns make eller sambo får tas upp av svensk domstol om 1. barnet har sin hemvist i , 2. talan förs mot en man som 2. talan förs mot en man eller har sin hemvist i eller kvinna som har sin hemvist i mot flera män som alla har sin eller mot flera personer hemvist här, eller som alla har sin hemvist här, eller 3. det i andra fall med hänsyn 3. det i andra fall med hänsyn till barnets, moderns eller man- till barnets, moderns, mannens nens anknytning till finns eller kvinnans anknytning till särskilda skäl att målet prövas finns särskilda skäl att här i landet. målet prövas här i landet. Om det sedan talan har väckts inträffar en ändring av de omständigheter som grundar svensk domstols behörighet enligt för- sta stycket, upphör inte domstolens behörighet. I 5 a § finns ytterligare en bestämmelse om svensk domstols be- hörighet. En talan vid svensk domstol En talan vid svensk domstol om fastställande av faderskap eller om fastställande av faderskap eller om hävande av ett faderskap som föräldraskap för en kvinna som gäller enligt 2 § ska prövas enligt var moderns make eller sambo ska lagen i den stat där barnet har sin prövas enligt lagen i den stat där 5Senaste lydelse 2018:1280. 6Senaste lydelse 2018:1280. Har ett faderskap eller föräld- raskap för en kvinna som var mo- derns make eller sambo fastställts genom bekräftelse, ska en talan vid svensk domstol om ogiltig- förklaring av bekräftelsen prövas enligt den eller de lagar som bestämmer fastställelsens giltig- het här i landet. En ogiltig- förklaring får dock alltid med- delas med stöd av svensk lag, om talan grundas på att den som har lämnat bekräftelsen inte är far till barnet.33 hemvist när målet avgörs i första barnet har sin hemvist när målet avgörs i första instans. ma gäller talan om hävande av ett faderskap enligt 2 § eller föräldra- skap enligt 2 a §. En talan om fastställande av faderskap för ett barn som har sin hemvist utomlands ska dock alltid prövas enligt svensk lag om 1.fastställelsen avser en man som har sin hemvist i , 2.det påstås att barnet har tillkommit med mannens spermier, 3.barnet i hemvistlandet inte har några andra rättsliga föräldrar än mannen och hans make, registrerade partner eller sambo. Frågan om huruvida ett fader- Frågan om huruvida ett fader- skap som gäller enligt 2 § ska an- skap eller föräldraskap som gäller ses hävt genom en fastställelse av enligt 2 och 2 a §§ ska anses hävt att en annan man är barnets far genom en fastställelse av att en bedöms enligt samma lag som annan man är barnets far eller en har tillämpats vid fastställelsen. annan kvinna barnets förälder be- döms enligt samma lag som har tillämpats vid fastställelsen. Har ett faderskap fastställts genom bekräftelse, skall en talan vid svensk domstol om ogiltig- förklaring av bekräftelsen prövas enligt den eller de lagar som bestämmer fastställelsens giltig- het här i landet. En ogiltigförkla- ring får dock alltid meddelas med stöd av svensk lag, om talan grun- das på att den som har lämnat bekräftelsen inte är far barnet. 7Senaste lydelse 1990:1528. om en rättegång om det rättsliga föräldraskapet pågår i , eller6. om det utomlands pågår en rättegång om det rättsliga föräld- raskapet som har börjat tidigare faderskapsavgöranden m. m. Ett avgörande av en utländsk Ett avgörande av en utländsk