Ministers throw out EU proposal on same-sex marriages

ATTEMPTS to have all EU members recognise the rights of unmarried partners — including those from same-sex marriages — failed when ministers rejected a proposed new law in Brussels yesterday.

Ireland was against the move and in the end the other member states agreed that countries would only have to consider giving a right of residence to the non-EU partner of a European citizen, and could then refuse to do so.

The changes were aimed at making it easier for people to move around and so encourage greater enterprise, but after months of haggling ministers agreed very few changes to the existing arrangements.