Cohabitation Act to enter force without implementing acts
Implementing acts to the much debated Cohabitation Act, which gives same-sex couples more rights, will not be passed this year, meaning the initial act will enter force on January 1 with a number of legal loopholes and problems.
The implementing acts passed the first reading with a close 42 to 41 vote at the end of November. Due to opposition forces proposing 300 amendments to the acts, the second and third reading have been postponed until next year.
Heljo Pikhof, chairman of the Legal Affairs Committee, told Postimees the committee was not able to work through all the amendments and decided not to ask the Parliament's board to begin the second reading next week. The Parliament stops work for the holidays on December 17 and reconvenes on January 11.
The implementing acts are necessary to clarify legal details for same-sex couples and third parties alike.
They would see amendments made to a total of 85 regulations. Most of the changes involve inserting the term “registered partner” into the laws to provide people in same-sex partnerships with rights currently enjoyed by married couples only.
Editor: J.M. Laats