EP urges Italy OK for civil unions (3)

(ANSA) - Strasbourg, September 8 - The European Parliament on Tuesday urged nine member States including Italy to "consider the possibility of offering" gay couples juridical institutions like "cohabitation, registered de facto unions and marriage". The request was contained in a survey of the state of application of basic rights approved by the EP. A bill on civil unions has been before the Italian parliament for a couple of years. It does not meet all the demands of the LGBT community. Mayors across Italy have been registering gay marriages contracted abroad in protest against the lack of a law.