LGBT rights in Andorra

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LGBT rights in Andorra
Location of  LGBT rights in Andorra  (green)in Europe  (dark grey)  –  [Legend]
Location of  LGBT rights in Andorra  (green)

in Europe  (dark grey)  –  [Legend]

Same-sex sexual activity legal? Legal since 1990[1][2]
Gender identity/expression
Military service Has no army
Discrimination protections Sexual orientation protections since 2005
Family rights
Recognition of
relationships
Stable unions since 2005; Civil unions since 2014
Adoption Full adoption rights since 2014.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Andorra may face some legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents.

Civil unions, which grant all benefits of marriage, are recognized.

Law regarding same-sex sexual activity

The law prohibiting same-sex sexual activity was abolished in 1990.[1]

The age of consent is equal at 16, regardless of sexual orientation and/or gender.[3]

Recognition of same-sex relationships

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Same-sex couples can register their partnership under the name "Stable Union of a Couple" since 2005.[4] On 2 June 2014, following the earlier announcement,[5] the ruling Democrats for Andorra party introduced a bill to establish civil unions.[6] After months of consultation, the proposed civil unions would be equal to marriage in everything but name as the word "marriage" was one of the biggest causes of the Democrats for Andorra voting no on the failed same-sex marriage law. The Civil Union law would give gay couples joint adoption rights.[7][8] On 27 November 2014, the bill passed on a vote of 20 to 3 with several abstentions. On 24 December 2014, the bill was published in the official journal, following promulgation by co-prince François Hollande as signature of one of the two co-princes was needed. It took effect on 25 December 2014.[9][10]

Local LGBT rights groups, headed by Carles Perea, have denounced the 2014 Civil Union law as discriminatory and still full of legal deficiencies. The groups have proposed legal action to obtain the right to marry.[11] In May 2015, activists announced their plan to collect signatures for a citizens initiative to force the Consell to revisit the issue and change the name of the Unions Civils law to marriage. If a Parliamentary motion is unsuccessful, lawyers representing the groups will file a discrimination lawsuit before the European Court of Human Rights.

Adoption and family planning

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In Andorra, before 2014, same-sex couples were not allowed to adopt [12][13][14] because the adoption law only recognised this possibility for heterosexual couples.[12] This was changed when a civil union law granting full adoption rights was passed in November 2014 and came into force on 25 December 2014.[15][16]

Immigration Equality

Andorra provides equal treatment to all citizens with respect to immigration and family unification, regardless of sexual orientation.

Discrimination protections

Andorra prohibits discrimination and hate crimes based on sexual orientation since 2005.[17][18][19]

Blood donation issues

Men who have sex with men (MSM) can donate blood to the Blood and Tissues Bank of Catalonia, but not to the Établissement Français du Sang in France.[4][20][21]

Summary table

Same-sex sexual activity legal Yes (Since 1990)
Equal age of consent Yes
Anti-discrimination laws for sexual orientation Yes (Since 2005)
Anti-discrimination laws for gender identity or expression No
Hate crime laws include sexual orientation Yes (Since 2005)
Hate crime laws include gender identity or expression No
Recognition of same-sex couples Yes (Since 2005)
Step adoption by same-sex couples Yes (Since 2014)
Joint adoption by same-sex couples Yes (Since 2014)
Commercial surrogacy for gay male couples Emblem-question.svg
Access to IVF for lesbians No
Right to change legal gender No
Same-sex marriages No
MSMs allowed to donate blood Yes (Since 2011)

See also

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 State-sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, authored by Lucas Paoli Itaborahy, May 2014
  2. Where is it illegal to be gay?
  3. Spartacus International Gay Guide, page 1216. Bruno Gmunder Verlag, 2007.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. (Catalan) DA regularà les adopcions per part de parelles homosexuals
  6. (Catalan) Proposició de llei qualificada de les unions civils i de modificació de la Llei qualificada del matrimoni de 30 de juny de 1995 i de la Llei 14/2004, de 3 de novembre, qualificada de modificació de la Llei qualificada de matrimoni
  7. (Catalan) Adopció igual per a tots
  8. (Catalan) Enllestida la llei d’unions civils amb el procés d’adopció dels matrimonis
  9. (Catalan) Llei 34/2014, del 27 de novembre, qualificada de les unions civils i de modificació de la Llei qualificada del matrimoni, de 30 de juny de 1995
  10. (Catalan) Demà entren en vigor lleis importants, com la d'unions civils o la 'regla d´or'
  11. (Spanish) Andorra rechaza llamar “matrimonio” a las uniones de parejas del mismo sexo
  12. 12.0 12.1 (Catalan) Llei 29/1996, Llei qualificada de l'adopció i de les altres formes de protecció del menor desemparat
  13. ILGA Europe, Andorra
  14. (Catalan) El cap de govern d'Andorra desmenteix ara que les parelles homosexuals puguin adoptar Vilaweb
  15. (Catalan) Llei 34/2014, del 27 de novembre, qualificada de les unions civils i de modificació de la Llei qualificada del matrimoni, de 30 de juny de 1995
  16. (Catalan) Demà entren en vigor lleis importants, com la d'unions civils o la 'regla d´or'
  17. Study on Homophobia, Transphobia and Discrimination on Grounds of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity - Legal Report: Andorra
  18. (Catalan) Llei 9/2005, del 21 de febrer, qualificada del Codi penal
  19. (Catalan) Llei 35/2008, del 18 de desembre, del Codi de relacions laborals
  20. (Catalan) Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. Andorran gays now can donate blood