(from www.wort.lu)
Fathers and mothers will soon have joint custody of their children – regardless of whether the parents are married or not. The Council of Ministers adopted a draft law on custody on Friday, thereby strengthening the rights of unmarried fathers.
Accordingly, both parents automatically receive visitation rights for their child. This is intended to prevent one parent from depriving the other of the child or attempting to alienate them. Even if custody is granted to only one parent, the other parent is entitled to see the child and even have them live with them. Both mother and father are obligated to contribute to the child's maintenance in proportion to their income. Furthermore, a mediation system is being introduced to support parents in crisis situations. With the new custody law, the Council of Ministers acknowledges the fact that, besides marriage, other forms of cohabitation are common. At the same time, the government is aligning Luxembourg's legislation with international standards, such as gender equality.