The Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Overseas Relationships) Order 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends Schedule 20 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33) (“the Act”). Schedule 20 specifies overseas relationships that may be treated as civil partnerships for the purposes of the Act, provided certain other conditions in the Act are satisfied. This Order adds the following relationships to the specified relationships in Schedule 20—

(a) uniό estable de parella (Catalan translation) in Andorra

(b) significant relationship in Tasmania, Australia

(c) marriage in Canada

(d) the relationship referred to as partenariat enregistré (French translation) or eingetragene partnerschaft (German translation) in Luxembourg

(e) civil union in New Zealand

(f) marriage in Spain

(g) domestic partnership in California, United States of America

(h) civil union in Connecticut, United States of America

(i) domestic partnership in Maine, United States of America

(j) marriage in Massachusetts, United States of America

(k) domestic partnership in New Jersey, United States of America.

A regulatory impact assessment has not been prepared for this Order, as it has no impact on the costs of business, charities, voluntary bodies or any public bodies distinct from that of the Act itself. A full regulatory impact assessment for civil partnership was published alongside the Act and can be viewed at http://www.dti.gov.uk/access/ria/index.htm#equality.