Switzerland (2007–2022; same-sex only) Greece (2008; initially opposite-sex only, since 2015 gender-neutral) Hungary (2009; same-sex only) Austria (2010; same-sex only, since 2019 gender-neutral) Ireland (2011–2015; same-sex only) Isle of Man (2011; same-sex only, since 2016 gender-neutral) Liechtenstein (2011; same-sex only) Jersey (2012; same-sex only) Gibraltar (2014; gender-neutral) Malta (2014; gender-neutral) Croatia (2014; same-sex only) Andorra (2014; same-sex only) Cyprus (2015; gender-neutral) Estonia (2016; gender-neutral) Italy (2016; same-sex only) San Marino (2018; gender-neutral) Monaco (2020, gender-neutral) Montenegro (2021; same-sex only) Andorra Austria In 2018, Minister of Justice Josef Moser announced that both marriage and registered partnership would be open to homosexuals and heterosexuals. This occurred because Helga Ratzenböck and Martin Seydl have been appealing for years in court for a registered civil partnership in Austria. At the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg they attempted to sue Austria for discrimination against their sexuality, because they were a heterosexual couple and were excluded from the benefits of registered partnership, but this failed. Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Civil unions were introduced in Denmark by law on 7 June 1989, the world's first such law, and came into effect on 1 October 1989. On 7 June 2012, the law was replaced by a new same-sex marriage law, which came into effect on 15 June 2012. Registered partnership was by civil ceremony only, but the Church of Denmark allowed priests to perform blessings of same-sex couples, as it stated that the church blesses people, not institutions. The new law makes same-sex marriages in churches possible, but allows vicars to decline marriages of same-sex couples in their church. On 17 March 2009, the Folketing introduced a bill that gave same-sex couples in registered partnerships the right to adopt jointly. This bill was approved on 4 May 2010 and took effect on 1 July 2010. Estonia France The French law providing benefits to same-sex couples also applies to opposite-sex couples who choose this form of partnership over marriage. Known as the "Pacte civil de solidarité" (PACS), it is more easily dissolved than the divorce process applying to marriage. Tax benefits accrue immediately (only from 2007 on), while immigration benefits accrue only after the contract has been in effect for one year. The partners are required to have a common address, making it difficult for foreigners to use this law as a means to a residence permit, and difficult for French citizens to gain the right