Policy Document

Civil Partnership Act

Year

2014

Country

Estonia

Topic

Family & Children

Subtopic

Marriage & Registered Partnerships

Keywords

Family formation Family policy

Main implications

While the Estonian Family Law Act, which defines marriage as a union of one man and one women, remains in force, the newly passed Civil Partnership Act is gender neutral, thus extending legal recognition to all registered couples regardless of their sex. It also allows one partner to adopt the other partner’s children. The law requires unmarried couples to register their partnerships in order to gain those rights.

Benefits & Requirements

Coverage: Eligible groups or beneficiaries

All adults without restricted active legal capacity.

Does this document allow for registered partnership?

Yes

Do partners have the same rights as those who are married?

Civil partnership has the same rights as married couples

Minimum age required for registered partnerships established by this document:

Attaining the age of 18 years required

Does this document recognize cohabitation as a legal union?

Does this document recognize same-sex unions?

The Civil Partnership Act stipulates that the gender-neutral civil partnership has the same rights as married opposite-sex couples

Implementing Text & Related Legislation

Original name of the legal document/act (native language)

Kooseluseadus

Date of passage/approval

9^th October 2014

Date of signature

9^th October 2014

Are the effects retroactive?

Date of effect

1^st January 2016

Actors

Estonian Parliament (Riigikogu); Ministry of Justice

Other related legislation

Family Law Act, 1 July 2010 (RT I, 2009, 60, 395), http://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/ee/Riigikogu/act/522082014005/consolide.

Read the Law

Original full text source in native language

Riigi Teataja (State Gazette) RT I, 16.10.2014, 1

Full text web source in English

https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/525062014005/consolide

Original full text web source in native language

https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/116102014001

Comments & Clarifications

Effective in January 2016, the scope of application of the act covers the procedure for entering into a cohabitation agreement, the rights and responsibilities of registered civil partners, and the basis for terminating the cohabitation agreement. A government registry for cohabitation partnerships will be established, and cohabitation agreements will be registered after having been notarised.