Surrogacy: a violation of human dignity. Motherhood: a precious gift, to respect and protect”. This was the incipit of a Resolution adopted by the FAFCE Board at its last spring meeting in Portugal.
With this resolution the great concern of all FAFCE Members was clearly expressed, recognising that “surrogacy is one of the consequences of a longer cultural process which separates procreation and sexuality“. Indeed, surrogacy is currently a hot topic in many European Countries and the European Parliament clearly expressed its condemnation of this practice in a Resolution last December. FAFCE is following very closely the ongoing procedure at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). Here, the Committee of Social Affairs already rejected, on 15 March, a draft report which had some forms of acceptance of surrogate motherhood, while the majority of the Members opposed that option. Nevertheless, the Rapporteur, who was also accused of conflict of interests because of direct links with clinics which provide surrogacy, doesn’t want to resign. On the 2nd of June in Paris, the Committee could have another exchange of views on this matter. The Members who voted against the draft on 15 March are now worried that a new proposal in favour of surrogacy will be proposed, under different forms. In order to inform on possible ways forward to combat the practice of surrogacy, FAFCE published a briefing note in several languages.
