The European Commission presented the progress report on the EU strategy for LGBTIQ equality on Wednesday 12 April at a high-level conference in Stockholm. While the implementation of the strategy is going well, both the European institutions and civil society deplore a backlash against fundamental rights.
A political message
Indeed, the Commission has more than 90 measures implemented under its strategy. These range from communication campaigns to the integration of an LGBTIQ equality perspective into legislation and dedicated funding. In addition, the report mentions the recent infringement procedure against Hungary for its so-called “anti-LGBT propaganda” law (see EUROPE 13158/14).
Beyond its content, the introduction of a European strategy dedicated to LGBTIQ people for the first time also sends a “powerful political message”, Swedish Minister for Gender Equality Paulina Brandberg stressed.
This message is all the more important, said Evelyne Paradis, Director of ILGA-Europe, considering the increasing violence against this community (see EUROPE 13125/22) and the pressure on defenders of their rights “across the EU, and not just in a handful of countries”. In this context, she added, the EU has a “crucial role” in bringing together the majority of Member States that support these rights “to withstand the rollback”.
Legislative tools
While the report breaks down various initiatives, Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli highlighted three legislative proposals central to the defence of LGBTIQ+ rights in the EU.
The first is the introduction of binding standards for equality bodies and the extension of their mandate to sexual orientation discrimination, in particular in the field of employment. While she welcomed the early start of the talks, Mrs Dalli called on the EU Council to adopt “a clear position” (see EUROPE 13157/21).
Furthermore, she encouraged Member States to work towards achieving the unanimity required to include hate speech and hate crime in the list of European crimes (Art. 83 TFEU). This would allow the Commission to propose legislation criminalising, among other things, crimes motivated by the sexual orientation of the victim.
Finally, she recalled the importance of paving the way for a European parenthood certificate (see EUROPE 13079/9). “Children who have same-sex parents are entitled to the same rights than all other children”, she said.
Towards an impact report
The progress report will feed into the future impact report of the strategy. But already the Commission is raising the need for more data, as well as permanent coordination structures on LGBTIQ issues within national governments.
While welcoming the EU’s commitment, Mrs Paradis called for more funding to implement the strategy and for the inclusion of an equality perspective for the LGBTIQ community in all policy areas.
The report: https://aeur.eu/f/6ae (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)