A controversial proposal for a certificate of parenthood with regard to commercial surrogacy goes to vote in the plenary of the EU Parliament this week.

Though the measure, which would facilitate surrogacy abroad by Europeans, is unlikely to be approved by member states in the EU Council, pro-family groups point out that even the proposal sets a dangerous precedent.

Last year, the Commission proposed an EU-wide certificate recognising a parent-child relationship, in principle, to ease the administrative burden for families caught in cross-border situations where legal documents certifying the relationship of a minor to a parent may not be easily recognised between member states.

However, family law is not a competency of the EU, and opponents warn that it could also facilitate surrogacy arrangements made by European families in other countries, force member states to recognize same-sex marriages, and diminish protections for children.