EU Court Mandates Recognition of Same-Sex Marriage Across Bloc

The European Union's highest court has ruled that all member states must recognize the same-sex marriages of citizens who wed in another EU country. This landmark decision ensures that rights related to marriage, such as residency permits, apply equally throughout the bloc. The ruling directly challenges national laws in countries like Poland, which do not permit same-sex marriage. It means that a same-sex couple legally married in Germany or Spain, for example, must have their union recognized for official purposes in every other EU nation. The Court of Justice of the EU decided that failing to recognize such marriages obstructs the fundamental EU right of free movement for citizens. This decision guarantees that a person's marital status remains consistent as they travel, live, and work across the 27-member union.