European court for human Rights orders France told to recognise kids born to surrogates

This is great news and so much appreciated,we have a couple of French patients from the past who would very much appreciate this ruling and so many Prospective commissioning parents willing to enrol in our Surrogacy Program but we cant take them because their Government will not give  aletter endorsing Surrogacy.
"The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled France must allow families to officially register the birth of babies born abroad to surrogate mothers, which would then pave the way for the children to become French citizens.

The court  ruled that by refusing to officially recognize the children France was undermining their identity within French society.

Thursday's verdict is linked to a case brought by two sets of French parents who hired surrogates in the United States, where surrogacy is legal in some states, and had children by them.

The Mennessons had twins daughters through a surrogate in California in 2000, while the Labassees had their daughter via proxy in 2001. All three of the children are American citizens.

Under usual circumstances, a child born abroad to French parents would automatically be granted French citizenship, but in the case of the two couples, authorities refused to recognize the couples’ position as parents to the children because they were born to surrogates. Meaning the children still haven't been granted French citizenship.

The European court ruled however that although these parents didn’t give birth to their children, they “live together in way that doesn’t distinguish their family life from its usual meaning.”

While Dominique Mennesson said the verdict was a "great relief", her lawyer Patrice Spinosi, told French daily Le Figaro the case could impact on thousands of children.

"In the eyes of French law, these children have no parents, not even the father who is raising them," said Spinosi. "Two thousand children in France are in the same situation as the Mennesson girls."