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LGBT rights in the EU

European Parliament 8 December 2011

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LGBT - Background and ongoing activities• June 2007: European Parliament request for a comprehensive

report to “… assist in its deliberations… for a ‘horizontal Directive”

• June 2008: Part I, Comparative Legal Report• March 2009: Part II, Comparative Social Report• 2009 – 2010: Participation in Expert Group developing draft Council of

Europe Ministers’ Recommendation on homophobia• 2009 – 2010: Co-operation with Council of Europe CHR for research

covering the remaining 20 CoE member states• 2010: Update of Part I, Comparative Legal Analysis• 2010-2011: FRA Roundtables on sexual orientation/gender identity

discrimination• 2011-2012: Survey on discrimination and hate crime + data

collection on public authorities

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Key trends: 2008-2010

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Uneven landscape: key questions

Could efforts in other areas of EU policy inspire a more coherent EU-wide framework for action with clear milestones for the fulfillment of LGBT rights?

How could an EU approach mobilise legislative, financial and policy coordination tools in the context of a shared multi-annual framework?

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Future steps:

CoE Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation (2010)5, ECtHR case law, EU law: set agreed standards

Measuring progress more comprehensively Gathering evidence for the EU institutions Other necessary future steps in light of the

different pace and lack of a uniform approach?

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Stage 1: online survey of LGBT persons covering all EU Member States and Croatia– Comparable data on LGBT experiences of

discrimination, abuse and violence, rights awareness, reporting, public perceptions,etc.

Stage 2: survey of public authorities – Comparable data on practices and policies of

various public authorities in Member States

2012: FRA project

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2013: FRA indicators on LGBT rights

Starting to develop key indicators measuring the respect and fulfilment of LGBT rights

Greater clarity and understanding of the areas which would most benefit from intervention and on concrete actions to uphold legal standards

Assist in developing evidence based opinions and tools to address key issues of concern

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Thank you for your attention

For further information, please visit www.fra.europa.eu