Last evening the Belgian Commons has passed presumptive 50/50 joint
physical care and custody legislation by mayority vote of 90 votes in favor
no votes against it and 36 votes abstained. This gives Belgium the primary
for being the first country worldwide in introducing true presumptive
coparenting legislation on the national scale.
The presumptive coparenting legislation will now be forwarded to the Senate
where votings will be a formality and will then come into effect 21 days
after the has been published in the states journal, which is now expected
before the coming summer starts.
After that the standard starting point for all Belgian courtordered
postdivorce parenting arrangements will be that the children will be cared
for one week by one parent and the next week by the other parent
alternatingly, etc. etc.
Congratulations Belgium!
More reports will follow later.
Peter Tromp
FatherCare Knowledge Centre Europe