Union of Equality: The Commission presented its strategy on LGBTIQ equality

Union of Equality: The Commission presented its first-ever strategy on LGBTIQ equality in the EU on the 12th November 2020

It is the first Commission strategy in the area of LGBTIQ equality, delivering on President von der Leyen’s commitment to a Union of Equality. It addresses the inequalities and challenges affecting LGBTIQ people, setting out a number of targeted actions, including legal and funding measures, for the next 5 years.  These targeted actions, set out around four main pillars, focus on: tackling discrimination; ensuring safety; building inclusive societies; and leading the call for LGBTIQ equality around the world. 

To fight discrimination, the Commission will undertake a stocktaking exercise, in particular in the area of employment, and will put forward suitable legislation, namely on strengthening the role of equality bodies. 

To ensure safety, the Commission will present an initiative in 2021 to extend the list of ‘EU crimes’ to include hate crime and hate speech, namely when targeted at LGBTIQ people, and will provide funding opportunities for initiatives that aim to combat hate crime, hate speech and violence against LGBTIQ people.

To protect the rights of rainbow families, the Commission intends to bring forward a legislative initiative on the mutual recognition of parenthood and explore possible measures to support the mutual recognition of same-gender partnership between Member States.

To foster LGBTIQ equality around the world, the Commission aims to support actions for LGBTIQ equality under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) and the Asylum and Migration Fund.

Furthermore, the Commission will integrate the fight against discrimination affecting LGBTIQ people into all EU policies and major initiatives.

Next Steps

Member States are encouraged to build on existing best practices and develop their own action plans on LGBTIQ equality. The objective will be to protect better LGBTIQ people against discrimination and to complement action under this strategy with measures to advance LGBTIQ equality in areas of Member State competence.

The European Commission will regularly monitor the implementation of the actions outlined in the Strategy and present a mid-term review in 2023.