Today the EU’s Agency for Fundamental Rights presented the results of the largest LGBT Survey of its kind in the world. 93,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people from the 27 EU Member States and Croatia responded and shared their experiences of discrimination, harassment and violence.

To mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (17 May), ILGA-Europe launches its Rainbow Europe package reviewing the human rights situation and assessing what life is like for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people in Europe in 2013.

On 16 May 2013, to mark the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia (17 May), ILGA-Europe launches the Rainbow Europe package reviewing the situation of LGBTI people in Europe and measuring the progress of European institutions and national governments towards full respect of LGBTI human rights.

On 25 April 2013, the Court of Justice of the European Union, delivered its preliminary ruling in the case of Asociaţia Accept v Consiliul Naţional pentru Combaterea Discriminārii concerning public statement made by Mr Becali, a patron of SC Fotbal Club Steaua București SA, who categorically stated that he would never hire a homosexual player.

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Today, the French National Assembly adopted in the final reading a law extending the right to marriage and entitlement to apply for joint adoption to same-sex partners. The law needs to be signed by the French President to come into force.

ILGA-Europe calls on the European Parliament to refer the report on visa facilitation back to the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee for reconsideration and thus postpone the vote.

Major boost to combatting Hate Crime in Europe is given by two year Facing Facts! initiative.

ILGA-Europe wholeheartedly welcomes today’s resolution by the European Parliament calling to criminalise homophobic and transphobic hate crime and speech across the European Union.

Today on February 25, the 16th EU-Ukraine Summit takes place in Brussels. The main focus of this summit will be Ukraine’s reform agenda, linked to the possible signature of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. On the agenda are political and economic integration, as well as mobility and regional and international issues.

Today ILGA-Europe in association with the Irish EU Presidency hosts the first ever EU level conference addressing homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools. The conference will be opened by Ruairi Quinn, Irish Minister of Education and Skills. Ireland is one of the EU Member States which made significant effort in the last few years tackling homophobic and transphobic bullying.

Today the European Court of Human Rights delivered its judgment in the case of X and Others v. Austria (application 19010/07) and ruled that Austria’s Civil Code discriminates against a partner in a same-sex relationship by making it legally impossible to adopt the biological child of the other partner while permitting second parent adoptions for unmarried heterosexual couples.

ILGA-Europe is extremely concerned by today’s approval by the Russian federal parliament (State Duma) of a draft legislation aimed at banning “propaganda of homosexuality” in Russia.

In its judgment in Eweida and Others v. United Kingdom, issued on 15 January, the European Court of Human Rights affirmed that the right to act in accordance with one’s religion may be limited in order to protect others from discrimination based on sexual orientation. The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA-Europe) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) welcome this decision and especially the Court’s recognition that preventing sexual orientation discrimination is an important and legitimate purpose that justifies restrictions on freedom of religion.

Between 9-11 December 2012, the second International Intersex Forum took place in Stockholm. This event brought together 37 activists representing 33 intersex organisations and supportive institutions from all continents.

Today is international Human Rights Day 2012. This year’s focus is on the rights to Freedom of Expression, Opinion, Assembly and Association of all People. Read ILGA-Europe’s statement here.