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A day before International Children’s Rights Day, a major conference entitled “Surrogacy: An Ethical and Political Challenge for Europe” was held today at the European Parliament, bringing together Members of the European Parliament, international experts, human rights organisations, and individuals directly affected by surrogacy.
The purpose of the event was to examine the ethical, legal, and political implications of surrogacy in Europe and to assess how the European Union can protect the rights of women and children in the face of a rapidly expanding global industry.
One of the most notable remarks came from Eugenia Roccella, Italian Minister for Family, Equal Opportunities and Birth Rate, who emphasised the need for a human-rights-based approach rather than one guided by market dynamics or individual desire.
Italy is today one of the leading nations in the global movement towards the universal abolition of surrogacy.
A Key Intervention from the United Nations
The conference welcomed Reem Alsalem, United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. She reiterated the conclusions of her recent report to the United Nations General Assembly, in which surrogacy, in all forms, including so-called “altruistic” surrogacy, is recognised as a form of violence against women. She called on States to work toward its universal abolition through the creation of an international treaty.
A Rapidly Expanding Global Market: A Critical Challenge for the EU
Experts highlighted the exponential growth of the global surrogacy market, valued at 22.4 billion USD in 2024 and projected to reach 201.8 billion USD by 2034 (Global Market Insights).
This expansion currently outpaces legal safeguards and risks creating a de facto transnational recognition of surrogacy contracts through practice rather than democratic decision-making.
The organisation of this conference at the European Parliament reflects this political and legal momentum.
Source: Casablanca Experts Speak at the European Parliament During a Major Conference on Surrogacy