The European Commission published its annual report on its action plan to advance Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Equality, which was launched in 2015.

First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said:

“All people should be treated like people, regardless of where they come from, their creed, their gender, their age, or their sexual identity or orientation. It is therefore only natural that LGBTI people should be able to enjoy the same opportunities and the same rights as anyone else. This is what Europe is about. This is who we are. We should not settle for anything less.” 

Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, added:

“The Commission is committed to working for a European Union in which we all can be who we want to be and love who we want to love. The work is not over; LGBTI people still suffer from discrimination and hate speech too frequently."

In 2018, the Commission supported NGOs in 25 Member States to advance LGBTI equality, stepped up the fight against hate speech via the Code of Conduct countering illegal online hate speech with leading IT companies, produced a series of video testimonies to raise awareness on the acceptance of LGBTI persons, participated in the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) and Pride celebrations around the world.

More information on the List of Actions and awareness-raising videos are available online.