Category Archive Statements & Press Releases

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IDAHOBIT 2020

According to the recently unveiled findings of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency’s survey on the experiences of LGBTI people in Europe, more LGBTI Europeans are now open about who they are but fear of violence and discrimination remain high. 

Compared to the results of the 2012 surveys, little progress has been made, with huge differences among countries: Despite the steps forward made by some EU Member States, in some areas, the situation got even worse, with clear attacks on the human rights of LGBTI people in countries like Poland and Hungary.

“The recent developments of LGBTI rights in Europe show a growing need for the EU and its Member States to put in place effective measures protecting the human rights of LGBTI people,” state the European Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance, LGBTI Liberals of Europe, and Rainbow Rose.

“We call for:

  • An ambitious EU LGBTI Strategy that contains clear and measurable commitments.
  • The development of comprehensive anti-discrimination standards covering all aspects of life, including explicitly on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics, applicable throughout the EU.
  • The inclusion of LGBTI rights in all EU monitoring exercises on Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights, including in the context of Article 7 procedures and the upcoming Commission’s Annual Rule of Law report.
  • Ensuring equal rights for Rainbow Families and their children across the EU, including free movement rights.

We also call on: 

  • Member States to ban medical interventions — unless they are life-saving — on intersex children with variations of sex characteristics until fully informed consent is possible.
  • Member States to adopt a legal gender recognition procedure based solely on self-determination without requiring either mental health diagnosis or forced sterilization.
  • The Commission, the Council, and the Parliament to update and adopt the Horizontal Equal Treatment Directive, to extend protection against discrimination beyond employment in the EU and all Member States.
  • The Commission and European Parliament to pursue sanctions towards Member States that do not comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
  • The European Parliament to use all tools at its disposal to demand that Member States increase their efforts on combating LGBT+ discrimination, developing, adopting and implementing corresponding legislation, policies and action plans.”

This statement is co-signed by LGBTI Liberals of Europe, Rainbow Rose & the European Centre-Right LGBT+ Alliance

Statement on the next EP elections

In an increasingly polarised climate, with anti-gender and far right movements on the rise, core EU values are being called into question. It is thus ever more important to express a strong and explicit commitment to human rights. In order to reconnect to EU citizens and reinstate their trust in the European project, in EU policy-makers and institutions, the celebration of the differences of all EU citizens should be at the core of any pro-EU party manifesto, including the ALDE Party one and the ones of all liberal parties at a national level. In times of increasing threats against the very values the Union was founded upon, a strong commitment to human rights is crucial.

LGBTI Liberals of Europe therefore hopes to see this commitment strongly voiced in the guiding documents for the upcoming legislature, and thus enshrined in the continued work of the European Union.

As such, we subscribe to the five key asks, developed by ILGA-Europe, to the EU institutions under the next legislature:

  1. Championing, engaging, promoting and protecting the human rights of LGBTI people in both internal and external EU policies, including the adoption of a comprehensive and well-defined strategy for action for the European Commission on LGBTI rights, following form the list of actions on LGBTI rights, ensuring consistency of the EU voice on these rights throughout its actions at all levels and in all contexts.
  2. Ensuring that the EU is a strong advocate for the human rights of trans and intersex people, and supporting Member States in developing, adopting and implementing corresponding legislation, policies and action plans.
  3. Placing key emphasis on the development of comprehensive anti-discrimination standards covering all aspects of life, including explicitly on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics, applicable throughout the EU, as well as including this as a condition for third countries in partnership or association agreements with the EU.
  4. Ensuring full freedom of movement for all EU citizens, including same-sex couples and their families.
  5. Being a strong defender of the rule of law and fundamental rights, including civil society space and human rights defenders.

Reflection of the above asks in the ALDE Party manifesto, and the ones of all liberal parties at a national level, would contribute to strengthening the commitment of the EU to the human rights of LGBTI people across Europe and beyond at a time when the movement is facing increasing external threats.