In June 2021, Professor Jens M Scherpe and Dr Claire Fenton-Glynn were appointed to a new EU Expert Group on the Recognition of Parenthood between Member States (E03765).
The aim of this Expert Group is to assist the Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers in the preparation of a proposal for a new regulation on the cross-border recognition of parenthood. The aim of this legislative instrument would be to ensure that parenthood, as established in one EU country, is recognised across the EU, so that children maintain their rights in cross-border situations, in particular when their families travel or move within the EU.
The membership of this Expert Group links to Professor Scherpe and Dr Fenton-Glynn’s ongoing work on the legal implications of international surrogacy. They are currently also working with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in drafting Guidance Documents for intended parents who are planning on entering into a surrogacy arrangement in another jurisdiction, as well as providing training for FCDO staff on possible difficulties that may arise. More on this project can be found in our earlier news item.