European Parliament asks for EU LGBTI roadmap in landmark report

Today, the European Parliament adopted a non-binding recommendation for a future EU roadmap against homophobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The report adopted today “strongly condemns” homophobia and transphobia in the European Union. MEPs ask the European Commission, Member States and EU agencies to ”work jointly on a comprehensive multiannual policy to protect the fundamental rights of LGBTI people”, also known as a roadmap or a strategy.

Such strategies already exist in the field of Roma integrationdiscrimination on the basis of disability, and gender equality.

For the European Parliament, this strategy must address discrimination in the fields of employment, education, health, goods and services, free movement, freedom of expression, hate crime, asylum, and foreign relations.

A clear majority (394 in favour, 176 against) approved the report, which benefited from broad support across the political spectrum.

Ulrike Lunacek MEP, report author and Co-President of the LGBT Intergroup, commented: “LGBTI people face serious problems in Europe today. Despite progress made in some countries, disrimination, violence and harassment continue to occur in all 28 Member States.”

“Some argued that this rwould give special privileges to LGBT people. But holding a partner’s hand without fear of being beaten up is no privilege—it’s a human right.”

Read more on European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights official webpage lgbt-ep.eu