The European Parliament has taken the first step to designate surrogacy as a form of human trafficking.

On Thursday, the committees on Women’s Rights and Civil Liberties adopted revised rules to combat human trafficking by adding new categories of crimes, including forced marriage and illegal adoption, into the existing EU framework.

Additionally, MEPs voted to include surrogacy for the purposes of reproductive exploitation and the exploitation of children in residential institutions in the scope of the law.

The section prohibiting surrogates received 58 votes in favour, 28 against and 5 abstentions.

“It has been very complicated to get to this point,” admitted Spanish MEP Margarita de la Pisa .

“Without a doubt it is a first triumph,” she continued, “but we cannot claim victory because there is room for interpretation.” The inclusion of surrogacy has support of MEPs on the right and the left, but it has been resisted by the Greens and Renew (liberals).

Once the draft position has been endorsed by the full parliament, negotiations with the European Council and Commission on the final form of the law can begin.