On November 2020, the European Commission adopted its first-ever LGBTIQ Strategy. This ambitious policy document is a major landmark for the protection of LGBTIQ people all over the European Union. It contains important commitments and proposals for achieving LGBTIQ equality, including on key topics such as access to health, artificial intelligence, parenthood recognition between Member States, and intersectionality. The Strategy also identifies equality bodies as essential actors for ensuring that discrimination against LGBTIQ people is tackled, while stating that EU legislation might be introduced in 2022 to strengthen their role.
An important next step for the Strategy will be to ensure its effective implementation. Strategic collaboration between stakeholders will be key, including EU institutions, Member States, civil society and equality bodies. This online roundtable will explore how to best collaborate for a successful implementation of the LGBTIQ Strategy, in order to achieve equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex and queer people in the European Union.
The roundtable, which took place online on 31 March, aimed to identify:
- The role equality bodies can play for implementing the LGBTIQ Strategy
- How equality bodies, civil society, national authorities and European institutions can cooperate to successfully implement the LGBTIQ Strategy
- Marc Angel, MEP, Co-Chair LGBTI Intergroup
- Arpi Avetisyan, Head of Litigation, ILGA Europe
- Adam Bodnar, Polish Commissioner for Human Rights
- Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality
- Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, MEP, LGBTI Intergroup Member
- Asztalos Csaba Ferenc, President of the National Council for Combatting Discrimination, Romania
- Katrin Hugedubel, Advocacy Director, ILGA Europe
- Evin Incir, MEP, Co-Chair ARDI Intergroup
- Iustina Ionescu, Human Rights Lawyer, ACCEPT Association, Romania
- Richard Köhler, Senior Policy Officer, Transgender Europe
- Miha Lobnik, Advocate for the Principle of Equality, Slovenia, Board Member of Equinet
- Szabolcs Schmidt, Head of Unit, DG JUST, European Commission
- Tena Šimonovic Einwalter, Ombudswoman of Croatia, Chair of Equinet Executive Board
- Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, Member of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania, Chairperson of Human Rights Committee
The event was livestreamed on Equinet’s Facebook page, and can be accessed here.
For a summary of the main issues raised, read the Roundtable Report here.
Safer Space Policy
Equinet is committed to make all its gatherings, events, conferences and seminars as safe and inclusive as possible for everyone. Our safer space policy was used for guidance on how we ensured a space where everyone felt welcomed and comfortable to share their ideas, contribute, and meaningfully engage with others.
Futher information
Find the concept note and final agenda here.
If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Moana Genevey, Policy Officer (Moana.Genevey@equineteurope.org).