European Parliament recognises specific discrimination faced by trans and intersex people
ILGA-Europe are very pleased to see that the European Parliament adopted two reports today that contain significant provisions in relation to the rights of LGBTI people.
Print HTMLThe first report, from Rapporteur Kozłowska-Rajewicz, is a positive development as it recognises that Member States should adopt legislation that protects trans people against discrimination when accessing goods and services. (Click here to read the full report on the application of Council Directive 2004/113/EC implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services as voted in FEMM Committee in February 2017).
ILGA-Europe also welcomes the adoption of the Urtasun report on equality between women and men in the European Union in 2014-2015, which uses inclusive language, especially in relation to trans and intersex people.
In particular, it recommends that Member States include the grounds of gender identity and sex characteristics within their gender equality legislation (paragraph 40). The Urtasun reports also asks Member States to report on the implementation of the Victims’ Rights Directive in 2017 in way that is inclusive of violence related to a victim’s gender identity and gender expression (paragraph 31).
It also asks States to adopt measures to protect LGBTI people against harassment in the workplace and discrimination at large (paragraph 38), and the European Commission to set out a strategy for gender equality 2016-2020 inclusive of transgender and intersex people (paragraph 7). (Click here to read the full report on equality between women and men in the European Union in 2014-2015 as voted in FEMM Committee in February 2017).
Both texts also call on the Council of the European Union to push for the adoption of the Equal Treatment Directive, which is needed to tackle the discrimination faced by many people in the EU - including LGBTI people.
