Given this state of affairs, the EU legislative framework seems to be the best
option for a unification of PIL rules with regard to registered relationships.
Despite already existing EU PIL instruments in family law, a new EU legal act
on the law applicable to registered relationships should be drafted. The mere
extension of the personal scope of application of existing PIL regulations, such
as the Rome III Regulation, would not lead to the desired result, because
Rome III primarily focuses on divorce and legal separation and, consequently,
does not cover the validity or the consequences of marriage. Also, the connecting factors applied might
not be the best choice for registered relationships. Fortunately, in view of the
recent developments in connection with the EU regulation proposal on the
property consequences of registered partnerships and the EU green paper on
civil status records, the EU (Commission) also seems to be increasingly aware
of and willing to address PIL questions relating to registered relationships and
status in general.