On Thursday, December 16, in the third reading, the Saeima supported amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Children’s Rights, which provide for changes in the regulation on the adoption of children abroad.

The changes provide that, in the cases and in accordance with the procedures provided for in the Law, a child may be adopted to a foreign country bound by the Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20 November 1989, and with which Latvia has entered into a bilateral agreement establishing the specifics of mutual legal cooperation in the field of foreign adoption.

Adoption to a foreign state will be possible if the Orphan’s and Custody Court that has decided on out-of-family care, receives the opinion of the Foreign Adoption Commission, which includes a conclusion that the adoption process to a foreign country complies with the principles of protection of the rights of the child laid down in the law and the best interests of the child. The procedure for the establishment, composition and competence of the Foreign Adoption Commission will be determined by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Artuss Kaimiņš, Chair of the Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee of the Saeima responsible for the progress of the draft law, has previously indicated that the issue of the adoption of children abroad has come to the attention of the Committee after the Ombudsman’s Office had found cases where the Orphan’s and Custody Courts took a decision to suspend the stay of the child in a foster family in Latvia and to place them in a child care institution in order to be able to adopt them abroad.

The law will enter into force on 1 July 2022. However, the laws and regulations that were in force at the time of commencement of the adoption proceedings will be applicable in cases of adoption commenced until 30 June 2022.

Saeima Press Service