More legal clarity when transnational couples separate is what the Legal Affairs committee just voted for. However, some countries don’t want to move towards a common EU policy on divorces, which they deem either too progressive or too conservative. That

A split on divorce

Falling in love with a foreigner is easy,

and getting married to them   is not difficult either.

1 in 8 marriages in the EU is   between people from different countries.

Complications start when   a married couple wants to break up.

The Legal Affairs Committee   has given a thumbs up to new rules

that would allow a couple to choose   which legislation to apply.

Couples who want a divorce,   who are binational or expats,

and who don't find a judge in charge   and don't know which laws to apply.

So cross-border divorce may become the   first application of Enhanced Cooperation.

This would allow for a group of countries,   in this case 12 of them,

to go ahead with common rules   while other countries can join later.

I think it would be useful to bring   Enhanced Cooperation forward,

because that’s what will allow us   to build a European vanguard.

The EP plenary will soon vote on   the application of Enhanced Cooperation.

But it won't be the last time   the EP deals with the matter.

If the Council agrees, the EP   will have to vote on another proposal

on the details of splitting across borders,   probably next year.