Dead-End in Sight: France Struggles with Surrogacy and Cross-Border Practices

Abstract

This article addresses the issue and practice of surrogacy in France. Surrogacy contracts are void under French law, and intermediaries, medical personnel, and in some cases, parents can be penalized if they partake in this method of ART. Consequently, the vast majority of French children born of surrogacy result from cross-border practices that their parents undertake. Divided into three parts, this chapter will first explore the French legal framework of surrogacy, then explore the cross-border practices at play and the difficulties they raise for ensuing parents and children once back on French soil, and finally examines diverse social movements and discourse either for or against the legalization of surrogacy in France. It concludes by arguing that before establishing a regulatory framework for surrogacy, the most pressing issue is to protect children born of French parents abroad via surrogacy once the family returns to the country.

KEYWORDS:

• France
• surrogacy
• cross-border practices
• kinship
• family law

Notes on contributor

Jennifer Merchant, a political scientist, is a Professor at the Université Panthéon-Assas Paris II, where she is a member of the Center for Studies and Research in Administrative and Political Science (CERSA).

Notes

1 This website is entirely devoted to the controversy: https://www.controverses-esiee.fr/les-posters-de-ledition-2019-2020/?contest=photo-detail&photo_id=2968. Consulted 30 August 2020.

2 According to a 2019 IFOP Poll, 50% of French people are in favour of legalizing surrogacy in France compared to 41% five years ago. Approval of regulated surrogacy for heterosexual couples is also up by 6 points since 2014, 66% of French people in favour: https://www.ifop.com/publication/les-francais-la-pma-et-la-gpa/. Accessed 30 August 2020.

3 https://www.senat.fr/scrutin-public/2019/scr2019-79.html.

4 This in fact solved the long-standing Mennessons’ case. https://www.courdecassation.fr/jurisprudence_2/communiques_presse_8004/etranger_transcription_9576/lire_communique_44108.html.

5 An adoption plénière (full adoption) breaks all filiation and contact between the child and his/her birth parents. It is irrevocable, subject to conditions, and must be the result of a court judgment. An adoption simple (simple adoption) creates a new family relationship between the adopter and the adoptee, but does not eliminate existing family ties between the adoptee and his/her biological family. The effects of simple adoption differ from those of full adoption. Once it is pronounced, the two bonds of filiation coexist: the adoptee has two families. The adoptee inherits from both families.

6 Parizer-Krief, K. (dir.), Analyse juridique et sociologique de l’état des questions en France à la lumière des pratiques étrangères en matière de filiation des enfants conçus par gestation pour autrui à l’étranger (Grande-Bretagne, Belgique, Israel), June 15th 2017 : http://www.gip-recherche-justice.fr/publication/analyse-juridique-et-sociologique-de-letat-des-questions-en-france-a-la-lumiere-des-pratiques-etrangeres-en-matiere-de-filiation-des-enfants-concus-hors-la-loi-belgique-grande-bretagne-israel/ . Accessed August 28th 2020.

7 See Maia, www.maia-asso.org/, CLARA, http://claradoc.gpa.free.fr/ and Association française des familles homoparentales, http://adfh.net/.

8 Mennesson v. France: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#{%22languageisocode%22:[%22ENG%22],%22appno%22:[%2265192/11%22],%22documentcollectionid2%22:[%22CHAMBER%22],%22itemid%22:[%22001-145389%22].

9 Labbassée v. France: https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-145180%22]}.

10 Foulon and Bouvet v. France, July 21st 2016 : https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-164968%22]}.

11 Laborie v. France, 2017 : https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-151104%22]}.

12 Taubira Ministerial Decision : http://www.textes.justice.gouv.fr/art_pix/JUSC1301528C.pdf.

13 On December 12, 2014, the Conseil d’État validated the Circulaire Taubira: https://adfh.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/367324-et-s.pdf.

14 « LOI n° 2013-404 du 17 mai 2013 ouvrant le mariage aux couples de personnes de même sexe »: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.do?cidTexte=JORFTEXT000027414540&categorieLien=id. Accessed 30 August 20220.

15 Boutique La MPT : http://boutique.lamanifpourtous.fr/index.php?id_product=148&controller=product&id_lang=5. Also see Leroy & Zeller, Le débat pour tous : mariage contre manif, Paris, Steinkis, 2103.

16 Sylviane Agacinski is a professor or philsophy and Marie-Anne Frison-Roche is a professor of law. Both are self-proclaimed Socialists. Le CoRP: https://www.facebook.com/Collectif.Respect.de.la.Personne/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARBdbncJ4AaK3kuxW3jyHOTZ8nwGZSNOfTJV4AK40GUWR5fFHXo9_b7OJ3nksBTHRs-nYx9da_E9S7Uj. S. Agacinski Blog : https://collectif-corp.com/tag/sylviane-agacinski/.

17 Stop Surrogacy Now : https://www.stopsurrogacynow.com/the-statement/.

18 Center for Bioethics and Culture: http://www.cbc-network.org/about/staff/.

19 Original signatories of Stop Surrogacy Now Statement: https://www.stopsurrogacynow.com/the-statement/.

20 « Les français, la PMA et le GPA », September 13th 2019 : https://www.ifop.com/publication/les-francais-la-pma-et-la-gpa/.