MEPs sign the pledge (High Peak Liberal Democrats)

High Peak Liberal Democrats <info@highpeaklibdems.org.uk>

MEPs sign the pledge

January 26, 2012 3:12 PM
Originally published by LGBT+ Liberal Democrats

All the Lib Dem MEPs have signed - and nearly 200 other MEPs

All the Lib Dem MEPs have signed up to a ten-point pledge on lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality and liberation.

MEPs from across the European Union have been adding their names to the pledge this week at a two-day event organised by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association - Europe (ILGA Europe) and the European Parliament's LGBT Intergroup, marking the half-way point of this European Parliament term. More than 180 have now signed.

The pledge reads:

1. Adopting ambitious EU legislation on equal treatment
I pledge to continue to support and to actively work towards the adoption of an EU multi-ground anti-discrimination directive as an essential step in ending the hierarchy of rights.

2. Ensuring the right to free movement in the EU for LGBT people
I pledge to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are able to exercise their right to free movement in the EU with their families, including by closely monitoring the implementation of the Freedom of Movement Directive and by supporting measures to increase mutual recognition of partnerships.

3. Increasing explicit recognition of transgender people's rights
I pledge to call for explicit recognition of the rights of transgender people in EU law, including by ensuring adequate coverage of transgender people in future EU gender equality legislation and policy and by closely monitoring implementation of the Gender Equality Directives with regard to their coverage of transgender people.

4. Combating homophobia and transphobia through criminal law
I pledge to call for a Framework Decision on homophobic and transphobic violence, hate crime and hate speech following the recommendation issued in the legal study on homophobia of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency.

5. Promoting an inclusive definition of family
I pledge to promote a definition of family which recognises the diversity of family relationships, and to ensure that the needs of LGBT families are increasingly reflected in EU policy and legislation (e.g. the Parental Leave Directive).

6. Acting as the EU's fundamental rights watchdog, including on LGBT rights
I pledge to hold EU Member States accountable to their human rights commitments and to be a voice against human rights violations targeting LGBT people in the EU (e.g. freedom of assembly, asylum of people at risk of persecution).

7. Protecting LGBT rights in Europe beyond the EU
I pledge to promote the human rights of LGBT people within the European Neighbourhood Policy, the EU Central Asia indicative programmes and Enlargement through political dialogue and recommending adoption of inclusive anti-discrimination laws.

8. Protecting LGBT rights in the world
I pledge to support Parliament resolutions and actions condemning human rights violations against LGBT people outside the EU and calling for the end of criminalisation of homosexuality.

9. Calling for an explicit commitment to fundamental rights from the new EU Commission
I pledge to prioritise the commitment to fundamental rights and equality in the approval of the new European Commission and to call for an explicit expression of this commitment by all the members of the EU Commission.

10. Ongoing commitment to the EU agenda in the area of non-discrimination and equality
I pledge to support programmes that ensure continued EU funding for effective and necessary action to combat discrimination and promote equality on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.