Brussels, 02/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's committee on legal affairs has said that, for the first time in EU history, the EP should authorise the member states that have so far agreed to the plan to start the necessary enhanced cooperation in the field of divorce law. The plenary vote is scheduled for June or July. This proposal would allow “international couples” to choose which law applies if they separate, as long as it is the law of a country to which they have a close connection (such as long-term residency or nationality). “We are giving couples more freedom and choice on their divorce, which is a difficult moment in their lives”, said the rapporteur, Tadeusz Zwiefka (EPP, Poland), during the meeting. EU ministers are expected to reach a political agreement on this cooperation during the Justice Council, to be held in Luxembourg on Friday 4 June. Enhanced cooperation on divorce and separation could benefit tens of thousands of international couples. Each year in the European Union, there are over 350,000 crossborder marriages and 170,000 divorces, i.e. 20% of all divorces in the whole Union. (B.C./transl.jl)