In a recent announcement, the Ministry of Children and Families of Norway stated that it would not halt adoptions amid an ongoing investigation into international adoption practices. Instead, the ministry is implementing interim risk-reducing measures to ensure the security of adoptions.
This announcement comes in the wake of a recommendation from the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir), which had suggested a temporary suspension of international adoptions to Norway pending the outcome of the two-year investigation. The committee responsible for this investigation was established in 2023 with the specific aim of examining illegal or unethical adoption practices. It began its work in December of that year and is expected to deliver its final report in 2025.
Bufdir reconfirmed its recommendation in April 2024, suggesting that adoptions should only continue in cases where families were already deeply engaged in the process. Despite these recommendations, the Ministry chose not to enforce a general suspension, citing the primary need to ensure that all adoption practices adhere to the principles of the Hague Convention of 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.
In response, the Ministry has taken steps to review and withdraw mediation licenses from several countries, including Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, and Madagascar in 2023, followed by similar actions in the Czech Republic, Hungary, South Africa, and Peru in 2024. This rigorous approach aims to maintain the legal certainty and safety of international adoptions.
For ongoing updates on this issue, you can refer to the full Jurist article.