Open letter: European and national equality civil society networks and organisations react to the portfolio of the Commissioner-designate for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality

In light of the recent unveiling of the new European Commission, European and national equality civil society networks and organisations wish to express their shock and dismay over the downgrading of the Equality portfolio compared to the previous mandate.

TGEU is deeply concerned about the recent anti-LGBTI propaganda law passed by the Bulgarian Parliament, which bans references to LGBTI identities and people in schools and educational institutions.

Together with 140 civil society organisations across the EU, we have written to EU leaders. We urge them to make equality and non-discrimination top priorities in the EU’s five-year work plan.

ILGA-Europe, TGEU and Association Mousse welcome the opinion of the Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union confirming that the French railway company should stop collecting its passengers’ civil titles. 

In a judgement published yesterday, the European Court of Human Rights found that Russia violated the right to private and family life of a trans man and his two foster children by terminating the foster care agreement on grounds of the man’s transition. 

On 7 May, the EU adopted a Directive on minimum standards for equality bodies. Equality bodies now must consider the gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics of a (potential) victim of discrimination.

Today, TGEU (Trans Europe and Central Asia) launches its annual update of the Trans Rights Index & Map, which documents the legal situation of trans people in Europe and Central Asia. 

United Nations Trans Advocacy Week (UN TAW) is a collective project by non-governmental organisations, offering trans activists a platform to make their voices heard on a global scale and in international human rights spaces.

We, the undersigned equality and anti-discrimination organisations, call on the European Union’s leaders and European Institutions to ensure equality, anti-racism, and fundamental rights are a priority during the next legislative mandate. 

One of the two post-Soviet countries where "sodomy" is criminalised, Turkmenistan is the most closed-off authoritarian and repressive country in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

TGEU welcomes the European Parliament’s resolution on Central Asia published on January 17, 2024. The resolution mentions the need to revise the EU Central Asia Strategy adopted in 2019.

TGEU launched our 2023 progress report on the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 and its key action items for trans people.