Target group of (proposed) legislation | According to statutory regulation or proposed legislation | ||||
Belgium | doctors only | Act Concerning Euthanasia, May 2002: Conditional decriminalisation of euthanasia performed by a physician* | |||
Germany | not specified | Non-penalty of assisted suicide holds for everyone† | |||
The Netherlands | doctors only | Review Procedure Act, April 2002: exemption for doctors from penalty of assisted suicide and killing on request | |||
Norway | not specified | Penal Code Commission, minority proposal, no mention of doctors; rejected in May 2005 by the Norwegian Parliament | |||
Switzerland | not specified | Non-penalty of assisted suicide without motives of self-interest holds for everyone | |||
United Kingdom | doctors only | Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill targeted at doctors only; rejected in May 2006 by the House of Lords |
Unless specified, all statements refer to both assisted suicide and euthanasia. Italics: bill/proposal
* The legal status of (physician-) assisted suicide — not regulated by the euthanasia law — is unclear.
† Physician-assisted suicide may legally conflict with a doctor’s obligation to save life (“Garantenpflicht”). Current legal developments aim at exempting doctors from a particular “Garantenpflicht”.