The European Parliament's Committee on Petitions has approved an investigation into Poland's alleged refusal to issue certificates of marital status to Poles who wish to enter into same-sex unions in countries where they are legal.
To get married or civilly united elsewhere, a Polish citizen may have to prove he or she is not married in Poland, but Polish officials have refused to give the certifications to known gays and lesbians - according to the Warsaw organization Campaign Against Homophobia, or KPH.
KPH and its lawyers argue that the practice violates European guarantees of freedom of movement and respect for privacy and family life.
The Committee on Petitions voted unanimously to examine the matter and requested a report from the European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.