Report of the Federal Council on illegal adoptions from Sri Lanka

The latest report, building on a commissioned study by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) of February 2020, exposes serious irregularities in some cases in child adoptions from Sri Lanka between 1973 and 1997. The Federal Council “has acknowledged the misconduct of the federal and cantonal authorities in this regard and expressed its regret to the adoptees and their families”. The December report goes further by examining the current legislation, policy and practice, noting certain opportunities for improvement. The report confirms that the adoptee has an absolute right to know the identity of his or her biological parents (art. 268c Civil Code) since 1 January 2018, although a number of conditions apply in terms of actual application. A group of experts will now determine the necessary changes, in particular the possible restriction of countries of origin, the optimisation of the institutional organisation (division of responsibility between Confederation and Cantons and roles of the intermediaries) and the implementation of the various international recommendations on financial matters and the wider fight against illicit practices.

Source: https://www.bj.admin.ch/bj/en/home/gesellschaft/adoption/illegale-adoptionen.html