Poland must now recognise same-sex marriages conducted in other European Union member states following a landmark ruling by the country’s Supreme Administrative Court.

The decision to recognise these unions follows an EU ruling, which took place in November 2025, after a couple was refused recognition of their union in Poland.

In 2018, two Polish nationals got married in Germany and then requested their union to be transcribed into Poland’s civil register. However, officials denied their request on the basis that same-sex marriage is not legal in the country. The couple challenged the decision in a Polish court, which then referred the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in Luxembourg, asking to interpret EU legislation on the matter.

In November, the EU court ruled that Poland had infringed on the rights of the same-sex couple by not recognising their marriage.

On Friday, when the Supreme Administrative Court confirmed that Poland will recognise same-sex marriages that took place in the EU, LGBTQ+ activists erupted in applause in the courtroom. Despite the EU ruling, there had been some uncertainty about whether or not the Polish court would implement recognition.

However, as RTÉ reports, it is not clear whether all same-sex marriages conducted in the EU will be recognised, or if courts will only grant recognition to couples who have lived abroad for a long period. It is currently estimated that between 30,000 to 40,000 same-sex marriages involving Polish citizens have taken place within the EU.

As it stands, Poland is one of several EU member states that have not introduced same-sex marriage or civil unions, along with Bulgaria, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia.

The court’s ruling has been recognised as a landmark moment for LGBTQ+ rights in Poland. In recent years, the country has faced widespread criticism for its treatment of the LGBTQ+ community, with activists pointing to harmful rhetoric from the government, religious leaders and other prominent public figures. However, the country has shown signs of progress since Prime Minister and ex-EU President Donald Tusk’s party won the elections in 2023.