The move extends a ban on the practice inside the country to also include those who seek it out in places where it is legal, like the US or Canada. Those who break the law could face up to two years in prison and fines of up to €1m (£835,710).
The law, proposed by the Italy’s far-right governing party, is seen by critics to target LGBT couples - who are not allowed to adopt or use IVF in the country.
Surrogacy is when a woman carries a pregnancy for another couple or individual, usually due to fertility issues or because they are men in a same-sex relationship.
The law passed by 84 votes to 58 in Italy’s senate on Wednesday.
If we’re talking solely exploitation of poor women then we have to add sewing in sweatshops to that list. The thing that make prostitution and surrogacy special is the degree of intimacy involved and, at least depending on person, prostitution is closer to sweatshops in that regard than to surrogacy. Not to mention that there’s also a kid involved who didn’t consent to anything at all. Adoption can be traumatic, with surrogacy that’s done with premeditation.
And yes, at least according to German law contracts about sexual services aren’t enforceable from the client side, you’re not entitled to more than your money back. In countries without legal framework the situation is generally way more nasty. And just for completeness’ sake: It’s on the list of jobs the welfare office can’t make you take up.