No Maternity Traffic is rejoicing that the petition submitted on 10 March 2016 to the Presidency of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe was recognized as admissible during the meeting of the Bureau of 26 May 2016. The Bureau decided to transmit the petition to the Committee on Social Affairs to be taken into account as part of preparation for the report on Human Rights and ethical issues related to surrogacy.
The 107,957 European signatories of this petition are calling on the authorities of the Council of Europe to commit themselves to the effective abolition and prohibiting of surrogacy.
No Maternity Traffic considers that, while the Committee on Social Affairs seemed to be very divided, this first positive step will pave the way for the position of the many citizens concerned about human rights to be taken into consideration.
In fact, the report and resolution submitted by the rapporteur, Petra de Sutter, were rejected last 15 March by the Committee on Social Affairs. This project aimed to give a framework to surrogacy, i.e. to allow it under conditions, although this practice is, in principle, inacceptable. Nevertheless, the rapporteur was not relieved of her duties. On the other hand, although a conflict of interest concerning her was revealed, the conflict was not put to vote despite the Rules of procedure of the Council of Europe.
No Maternity Traffic is still in action and is requesting that the position of signatories should be really taken into consideration by the Committee, i.e. the total ban of surrogacy. It is also concerned to notice that the rapporteur was not replaced.
Surrogacy, regardless of its form, exploits women and leads to child trafficking, partially or totally depriving these children of their parentage. This practice seriously violates human rights, which the Council of Europe is tasked to guarantee.