HELSINKI, September 28, 2001 (LSN.ca) – Finland’s parliament has approved, 99-84, a law which affords homosexual couples most of the rights of married couples. The law allows a homosexual union in a civil marriage-like ceremony. It also establishes inheritance rights but stops short of allowing adoption of children and use of the same surname. Homosexuals may adopt children singly, but the child will not legally be registered as belonging to both homosexual partners in such cases.
Ananova reports that the new law follows similar legislation in the other Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland, where homosexual unions have been legalized. Denmark and Iceland permit adoptions by homosexual couples in certain circumstances.
See the Ananova coverage: https://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_410716.html