Norway tightens controls over adoptions from abroad but won’t ban practice as investigation unfolds

By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway’s government says it has tightened controls over adoptions from abroad but will allow the practice to continue as it conducts an investigation into the legality and ethics of past adoptions. The move on Tuesday to keep allowing international adoptions for now contradicted Norway’s top regulatory body. The agency recommended in January a pause while the investigation takes place. Norway’s minister for children and families said Wednesday that “the overall goal is to get answers to whether and possibly to what extent there have been illegal or unethical situations in connection with foreign adoptions to Norway.” The inquiry was launched after media reports pointed to alleged illegal adoptions of children from the Philippines.