Poland’s Ministry of Digitization begins process to update civil records following European Court of Justice directive.
Ministry Takes Action
Poland’s Ministry of Digitization is taking the first step after the European Court of Justice (TSUE) ruling regarding same-sex marriages.
“Poland is obliged to recognize same-sex marriages legally entered into in other EU countries. This is a right that we must and want to apply – the TSUE ruling is clear,” wrote Krzysztof Gawkowski on social media. He added that he signed documents initiating the process of changing civil status record patterns to ensure the state functions efficiently and equally toward all citizens.
“It is the citizens’ right to equal treatment, regardless of sexual orientation. This is a matter of dignity, but also the stability of existing families,” Gawkowski emphasized.
What Will Change
As Gawkowski explained, a draft regulation on document patterns for civil status registration has been submitted to the government. This will enable the transcription of foreign same-sex marriage certificates from other EU countries and allow for technical preparation of systems and marriage registers.
In practice, this involves introducing gender-neutral columns such as “first” and “second spouse” (instead of “husband” and “wife”). The planned changes also include adapting sections concerning spouses’ names in full and short extracts of marriage certificates and in certificates.
TSUE Ruling Details
The European Court of Justice ruled that all EU member states, including Poland, are obliged to recognize same-sex marriages legally entered into in another EU country. Refusing to register such unions in Poland’s civil status register violates EU law, including the principle of equal treatment and the freedom of movement and residence of EU citizens.
The Ministry noted that the Tribunal did not order the introduction of same-sex marriages into Polish national law.