European Parliament requires equal treatment of marriage/civil unions

This is a major step forward in Europe. The European parliament, under various treaties signed by the members of the EU, has the power to direct countries to adopt legislation. It doesn't change the laws of the individual countries, but has remedies to address member countries that do not follow the legislation they pass.

Member nations of the European Union are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Currently seeking to join the EU are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Iceland, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. The UK established civil unions to be in most areas equal to marriage.

http://news.pinkpaper.com/NewsStory/4401/30/11/2010/eu-must-recognise-marriage-documents-equally-parliament-says.aspx