From words to action: implementing the new EU LGBTIQ Strategy

Q: Thank you for the organization of the event!

Jonathan Cooper

Doughty Street Chambers, London

Q: What impact will the EU strategy have on the work of the EEAS? Will decriminalisation become a priority for the EEAS? The strategy is warmly welcome.

Jonas Deweer

Belgian Gender Equality Institute

Q: Are there specific provisions or safeguards for intra-EU LGBTIQ asylum seekers? In Belgian it is often possible for non-EU LGBTIQ-people to get asylum, but EU-citizens experience a lot of difficulties, even though their stories are not less horrific, because it is assumed that the situation of LGBTIQ-people within Europe is not grave enough to warrant asylum. (to Radka Maxová)

Wlad

UK LGBT charities

Q: It is clear that right wing governments in the EU are using LGBT, this scapegoating helps to further populistic agenda and greater votes from populations that simply lack awareness rather than rooted in hate. What can be done on EU level to raise sexual orientation and gender identity awareness so that citizen in small town in Poland who shouts along with the government 'eLGBeTe are not people' knows what the acronym actually stand for, because I don't. believe many know? (to Helena Dalli)

Mikhail Tumasov

Q: To Maité Pagazaurtundúa; there is a lot of cases when same sex partners are not viewed as couple by national Migrats offices on base of marriages certificates lack which impossible to take for people from such countries as Russia, Belarussia and countries of Central Asia. Any ideas how to change this awful practice?

Panagiotis Chatzimichail

Q: How do you intend to engage different Commissioners, DGs (i.e. EMPL, EAC), Agencies (i.e. EIGE), Member States, the European Parliament and most importantly the civil society and young people? Acknowledging the issues addressed by the Strategy, a) how can the EU act so it can truly claim to be a #UnionofEquality and b) put forward it's target to address protection of LGBTQI+ (human) rights beyond the EU? (to Helena Dalli)

Dodo Karsay

Q: I hope we will be able to use the Strategy to support trans parents better. The strategy mentions same-sex couples, "rainbow families" and "LGBTQI" families, but there is a lack of specific reference to families with trans parents. As you may know, the vast majority of EU countries do not recognise trans parents in their gender identity, even after someone has gone through LGR, which is a grave violation, and poses an immense barrier for trans parents to safely travel cross-border with their children. (to Radka Maxová)

Ed Piedrahita

Q: As the commission is the agenda setter, to what extent this strategy shall face challenges? and secondly, how will the daily working process manage to turn this initiative binding to all member states? It’s quite obvious far right-wing gvts will try to block this, but how?

Mikhail Tumasov

Q: There is a huge turbulence with legal recognition of LGBTIQ unions in Baltic countries; any ideas what could be done from EU commission towards it?

Cristina

Q: The lack of same-sex marriage rights (or at least civil partnership) in many EU countries is one of the biggest forms of discrimination against LGBTQIA+ couples. There is no logical, fair reason why a 21st century secular country would not give everyone equal marriage rights. How does the Commission and the Parliament plan to tackle that problem, especially in countries such as Romania or Poland? (to Nicolae Ştefănuță)