The European Commission Seeks to Ban Gay 'Conversion Therapy'
The move follows a petition backed by more than 1 million EU citizens and comes as 8 of 27 member states already have bans.
- On Wednesday, European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib announced a non-binding recommendation urging EU member states to ban conversion practices, calling them "barbaric" and stating they have "no place in our Union."
- The Commission's move follows a European Citizens' Initiative surpassing one million signatures that demanded a binding EU-wide ban on practices the United Nations warned cause "long-lasting psychological and physical damage."
- According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association- Europe, just 10 of 27 EU nations fully or partially outlaw conversion therapy, despite almost a quarter of LGBTIQ citizens having been subjected to these practices.
- Lahbib admitted the executive stopped short of a binding ban because Article 19 of the EU treaties compels unanimity to tackle discrimination, a requirement hindering progress since 2008.
- Urging the remaining states to follow the eight countries with existing bans, Lahbib said the recommendation will "build on that momentum" by increasing awareness and helping victims seek legal action.
51 Articles
51 Articles
The European Commission intends to propose to the EU member states a ban on so-called conversion treatments.
EU Rejects Ban on Conversion Therapy but Urges National Action
The European Union will not outlaw ‘conversion therapy’—practices that seek to modify or suppress a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity—but will push member states to take action against such practices, it said on Wednesday, May 13th. Brussels argued the responsibility for such a ban lies with member states and that an EU ban would be an encroachment on national sovereignty. A European Citizens’ Initiative requesting a ban on ‘convers…
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The Commission intends to recommend a ban to Member States, but does not see an "efficient" way to ban practices by EU law
The European Citizens' Initiative to ban controversial practices was supported by more than a million residents.
The European Commission will not ban sexual orientation conversion practices, as it has no legal basis for doing so, but it will encourage EU member states to take action against such practices, it was announced in Brussels.
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