states who joined in 2004 was around 28%, meaning that 53% of citizens in the 28-member EU supported legalizing same-sex marriage. Albania Albania's government announced its intention to propose a bill allowing same-sex marriage in 2009. However, no bill has been presented as of 2023. Austria Austria began performing same-sex marriages and different-sex registered partnerships on 1 January 2019, after the Constitutional Court deemed that the existing laws treated same-sex couples and different-sex couples differently, and were therefore discriminatory. Belgium On 1 June 2003, Belgium became the second country in the world to legally recognise same-sex marriage. Cyprus Civil cohabitations have been legal in Cyprus since 11 December 2015. The bill to establish civil cohabitation was approved by the parliament on 26 November 2015 with a 39–12 vote. It was published in the official gazette on 11 December 2015 and took effect upon publication. Czech Republic On 15 March 2006, the parliament of the Czech Republic voted to override a presidential veto and allow same-sex partnerships to be recognised by law, effective 1 July 2006, granting registered couples inheritance and health care rights similar to married couples. The legislation did not grant adoption rights. The parliament had previously rejected similar legislation four times. Denmark On 15 June 2012, Denmark became the eleventh country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. The autonomous territory Greenland legalised same-sex marriage on 1 April 2016, and the Faroe Islands followed on 1 July 2017. Finland Registered partnerships were performed in Finland between 2002 and 2017. Legislation for same-sex marriage was submitted by individual members of the Parliament in March 2012 but it was turned down by the Legal Affairs Committee in February 2013. A similar bill was introduced to the Parliament in December 2013 as a citizens' initiative, with the support of 160,000 people. In June 2014 the Legal Affairs Committee recommended to reject it, but on 28 November 2014 the full Parliament rejected that recommendation by a vote of 92–105, thus paving the way for the legalisation of same-sex marriage. The initiative was approved by the full session at the second reading on 12 December 2014. A new citizens' initiative was started on 29 March 2015 aiming to rescind the new marriage law. The new initiative collected almost 110,000 signatures by 29 September 2015 but it was rejected by the Legal Affairs Committee and later voted down by the full Parliament on 17