High-Level EU Group and List of Actions provide food for thought

01.03.2018
a group of high-level politicians and civil society representatives sitting in a chamber of the European Parliament


Today, representatives from EU institutions met with human rights activists in Brussels. Our Executive Director Evelyne Paradis was at the High Level Group on Non-Discrimination, Equality and Diversity, and shared her thoughts after this afternoon’s discussions.

“Over the past two years, we have seen how the European Commission’s List of Actions for LGBTI equality have initiated important activities and cooperation by DG Justice. All of us – member states, the European Parliament, the European Commission and civil society – now need to plan for an even stronger engagement of the whole European Commission beyond 2019.

How can we do this?

As a first step, we need to become even better in coordinating between different initiatives of the Commission in the various DGs. Together, we need to ensure the full implementation and use of existing EU legislation that protects LGBTI rights. And, more than ever, we must ensure that there is direct support for the important work civil society is doing in difficult environments across member states defending human right and the rule of law. 

In this context, we urge the EC to include a funding instrument to support civil society organisations working on human rights in EU member states, under the internal policy priority in its proposal for the next multiannual financial framework.

The debate with member states representatives, Commissioner Jourova and civil society organisations today (as part of the High-level group on non-discrimination, equality and diversity) was an important first step in ensuring that the List of Actions has an even stronger impact in the coming years.

ILGA-Europe looks forward to lots more similar occasions in 2018, where we can all come together and ensure even closer cooperation and increased impact, improving the lives of LGBTI people in the EU.”