Civil unions in Austria

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Same-sex civil unions

Recognized nationwide in:

Denmark (1989) | Norway (1993)

Israel1 (1994) | Sweden (1995)

Greenland (1996) | Hungary1 (1996)

Iceland (1996) | France (1999)

Germany (2001) | Portugal (2001)

Finland (2002) | Croatia1 (2003)

Austria1 (2003) | Luxembourg (2004)

New Zealand (2005) | United Kingdom (2005)

Andorra (2005) | Czech Republic (2006)

Slovenia (2006) | Switzerland (2007)

Colombia (2007)

Was recognized before legalization of same-sex marriage in:

Netherlands (nationwide) (1998)

Spain (12 of 17 communities) (1998)

South Africa2 (1999)

Belgium (nationwide) (2000)

Canada (QC, NS and MB)3 (2001)

Recognized in some regions in:

United States (6 states+DC) (1997) : CA, CT, HI, ME, NJ, VT

Argentina (Buenos Aires, Rio Negro) (2003)

Australia (Tasmania) (2004)

Italy (Some municipallies) (2004)

Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) (2004)

Mexico (Mexico City and Coahuila) (2007)

Recognition debated in:

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Brazil

Chile

Costa Rica

Greece

Ireland

Italy

Liechtenstein

Mexico

Poland

Taiwan

United States

Uruguay

Notes:

1 - In form of unregistered cohabitation.

2 - Explicitly referred to as the "civil unions Act" in South Africa.

3 - Explicitly referred to as "civil unions" in Quebec (2002), and called "domestic partnership" in Nova Scotia (2001). In Manitoba (2002) and marriage extended to same-sex partners nationwide (2005).

See also

Same-sex marriage

Registered partnership

Domestic partnership

Common-law marriage

Marriage, unions and partnerships by country

Homosexuality laws of the world

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Civil unions between same-sex couples have not been recognized by Austrian law so far, however, unregistered cohabitation has been recognized since 2003. Following the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Karner v. Austria (2003), cohabiting same-sex partners are entitled to the same rights as unmarried cohabiting opposite-sex partners.

In December 2004, the Austrian Social Democratic Party on its biannual Federal Party Convention took a sensational decision on the issue of equal treatment of same-sex couples. Besides immediate introduction of registered partnership (including stepparent-adoption).Austria’s biggest opposition party is heading towards subsequent opening up of marriage for same-sex couples.

On 20 October 2005, Austria’s Lesbian and Gay Rights Organisation welcomed the Bill of the Green party for opening up of marriage to same-sex couples, and called on the other parties to support the bill.

The current Austrian minister of justice, Karin Gastinger of the Alliance for the Future of Austria, has repeatedly come up with proposals to implement civil unions in Austrian law, all of which have met opposition both in her own party and in its coalition partner, the Austrian People's Party.

[edit] See also

• Gay rights in Austria
• Same-sex marriage in Austria