Greece has announced a new legislative provision that prohibits homosexual and single men from having children through surrogacy.
The amendment, was announced by Minister of Justice Giorgos Floridis with it altering the relevant section of the Civil Code governing family law to prevent male same-sex couples from becoming parents via surrogate motherhood.
According to the ministry’s statement, significant changes are being introduced concerning medically assisted reproduction involving the transfer of eggs into another woman’s body.
Specifically, it clarifies that an inability to carry a pregnancy due to gender does not constitute medical infertility.
Additionally, judicial approval for surrogacy will only take effect once the relevant court ruling becomes final and irrevocable.
It is worth noting there have been courts that have previously issued rulings contradicting this newly announced restriction in the past.
The amendment also aims to reduce human trafficking related to surrogacy, which has reportedly escalated.
The phenomenon has reportedly seen foreign women come to Greece, declare themselves as single residents, and then use surrogacy to have children for third parties in exchange for high fees beyond the legally permitted compensation.
Minister Floridis defended the legislative change, saying it has a deeply humanitarian character and stressing that Greece risks becoming a hub for surrogacy-related trafficking under the previous legal interpretation.
