International Adoption of Romanian Children, the Reality of Post-Revolutionary and Contemporary Europe

• Author: Alexandru-Adrian Eni
• Pages: 489-499

The Youth of Today - The Generation of the Global Development

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International Adoption of Romanian Children, the Reality

of Post-Revolutionary and Contemporary Europe

Alexandru-Adrian Eni1

Abstract: The topic o f international adoption is undoubtedly one of the most present and controversial

phenomena of the Romanian contemporary law, a phenomenon that has gained amplitude in the immediate

post-revolutionary period, Romania ranking first among the former communist countries in the field of

international adoption, the child being considered a commodity generating substantial income. Corruptibility

that developed in this domain has caused many children to miss adoption, with the most diverse an d serious

consequences for them. In 2003, Romania has suspended international adoptions further to pressures of the

MEP Emma Nicholson, Special Rapporteur at the time, for our country's accession to the European Union.

She invoked alleged dangers such as begging or organ trafficking which were menacing the future of

Romanian children, once arrived in the West. Several countries such as USA, Israel, France and Spain

protested against this decision. Neither the pressures of the European institutions from the recent years did not

lead to changes in the Romanian legislation. If a child is adopted by a foreign citizen, he will receive

citizenship of the country. In th is situation his evolution would be extremely di fficult to track. The

international adoption as a “last resort” must be understood in the context of the provision referring to the

importance of maintaining the continuity of cultural, linguistic, ethnic and religious background in a child's

education. We hereby appreciate the idea that adoption by its nature, changes destinies and aims to a certain

degree of spiritual e mpathy, not being only a measure, but a clarification that can mark and change a human

life, and despite all regulations, decisions or political or legislative decisions, nothing is more important than

life.

Keywords: International adoption; Romanian children; Romanian contemporary law

1. Introduction

The topic of international adoption is undoubtedly one of the most present and controversial

phenomena of the Romanian contemporary law, a phenomenon that has gained amplitude in

the immediate post-revolutionary period, Romania ranking first among the former communist

countries in the field of international adoption.

Starting from the phrase “child’s adoption”, “child” meaning a young person of either sex,

either by birth or by adoption, meanwhile “adoption” means the act or process of adopting a

person; “child’s adoption” is a national and international social and legal phenomenon

(Mihăilă, 2010) that ensure children without parents or without proper parental care,

1 Student, Law Faculty, Danubius University of Galati, Romania, Address: 3 Galati Blvd., Galati 800654, Romania, Tel.:

+40372361102, Corresponding author: alexandru_eni@yahoo.com.