European Economic
and Social Committee
EESC PLENARY: EESC reaffirms LGBTIQ+ rights as fundamental and calls for effective implementation of the EU strategy
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) placed fundamental rights, dignity and equality at the centre of its plenary session on 29 April, holding a high‑level debate on a Union of Equality: Advancing LGBTIQ+ rights and banning conversion practices. The debate was followed by the adoption of two key EESC opinions calling for stronger enforcement of the EU’s LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026–2030 and a comprehensive EU‑wide ban on conversion practices, both prepared by rapporteurs from the EESC Civil Society Organisations' Group.
Despite progress in recent years, speakers pointed out that discrimination, violence and harassment continued to affect many LGBTIQ+ persons across the European Union, with particularly severe impacts on trans, non‑binary and intersex people. Conversion practices (aimed at changing, suppressing or erasing a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity or expression) still existed in parts of Europe, despite being widely condemned as harmful, akin to hate crimes and incompatible with fundamental rights.
Participating in the debate were Caleb Stocco, representative of the European Citizens’ Initiative entitled ‘Ban conversion practices in the European Union’, European Association Against Conversion Therapy (ACT); Francesco Zoia Bolzonello, member of the European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib’s cabinet; Béatrice Fresko-Rolfo, Chair of the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; and Graeme Reid, United Nations Independent Expert on Protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
EESC President Séamus Boland rejected any justification for such conversion practices, saying: These so-called conversion practices or therapies are not only harmful, they are a profound violation of human dignity and fundamental rights. Let us be absolutely clear: there is nothing to fix or cure. What needs to change is not people, but the systems, attitudes and structures that deny them their dignity.
Members of the Civil Society Organisations' Group participated in the debate:
Ionuţ Sibian, member for the Civil Society Organisations' Group and co-rapporteur for SOC/854 Ban on conversion practices in the European Union, stated that: Legislation alone is not enough: we also need education and support mechanisms and we need to raise awareness. This opinion is not just about protecting the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons: it is also about defending the integrity of our democratic societies.
Julianne Marie Neiiendam, Vice-President for the Civil Society Organisations' Group and rapporteur for SOC/849 Union of Equality: LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030 addressed the assembly:LGBTIQ+ rights are fundamental rights for all Europeans. We must protect, implement and truly live them in all Member States. The
LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030
is a key tool to turn this into reality.
Rosario Valastro condemned the practice of conversion therapy, saying if you try to convince someone that they are abnormal or sick, that is violent and an infringement of human rights
. He stressed the need for EU action and for Member States to introduce sanctions against these inhuman forms of behaviour
.