Surrogacy : time for a self-sufficiency approach?

Abstract

Commercial surrogacy—where a woman is paid to carry a child she will then relinquish—remains highly controversial. An industry plagued by fears of commodification and exploitation, it is prohibited in every EU Member State. Yet no matter how reasonable this may seem in theory, the reality is that surrogacy remains a thriving business in which European citizens participate. Prohibitive legislation has consistently failed to protect the vulnerable parties involved. The COVID-19 crisis sharply illustrated these failings, stranding babies in their birth countries and leaving surrogates and intended parents in uncertain limbo.