During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (8-11 March 2021), MEPs call for the EU to be an ‘‘LGBTIQ Freedom Zone’’, in response to ‘‘LGBTIQ-free zones’’ in Poland. Extracts from the debate with Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs and President in office of the Council of the EU, Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Iratxe GARCÍA PÉREZ (S&D, ES) and Pierre KARLESKIND (Renew, FR).

Declaration of the EU as an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone: extracts from the debate

Title: &#171; Declaration of the EU as an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone: extracts from the debate (I-202970)

SOUNDBITE (English), Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs, Europe still has a long way to go before real equality is achieved. The covid-19 crisis has had a disproportionate impact on more vulnerable groups, including LGBTIQ community, leading to more inequalities and violence.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ana Paula ZACARIAS, Portuguese Secretary of State for European Affairs, We acknowledge the initiative to declare the EU as an 'LGBTIQ freedom zone'. Let us continue to work together towards this goal by doing everything we can to protect persons from being discriminated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity and to ensure across Europe that they can enjoy equality in their daily lives. Thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, The Commission welcomes and supports the European Parliament's intention to declare the EU and 'LGBTIQ freedom zone'.

SOUNDBITE (English), Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality, Our strategy aims to ensure that LGBTIQ people are safe and have equal opportunities to participate fully in society and thus reach their full potential. The Commission has started implementing this new strategy to guarantee that each measure included in it will materialise in the coming five years.

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA (EPP, MT), Today we are here so that all those in the LGBTIQ community that this is your Europe to to tell all those parents who are worried about the safety of their LGBTIQ children that we have their back to tell every girl and boy that in this Europe, you can be whoever you want to be, wherever you want to be. And our Union, this House will protect their rights.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&#205;A P&#201;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), Dear Mr Kaczynski Dear Mr Orban, no ideology can justify the posting of multilingual messages and posters and signs alienating and excluding people based on sexual identity. The only thing that this really is, is hate and intolerance. We will never live in a Europe that forces people to hide their rights and guarantees of freedom, to be who we are, to live with whom we want to live and to love who we want.

SOUNDBITE (French), Pierre KARLESKIND (Renew, FR), This battle, we have to fight it on different fronts. We cannot win it only here. Regions and capitals and the West and East of Europe should declare themselves to be 'LGBTIQ freedom zones'. We need to transform LGBTIQ people's lives on the ground. Ladies and gentlemen, representatives of Europe's citizens. It is an honour to declare to you the EU an LGBTQ IQ freedom zone.

Declaration of the EU as an LGBTIQ Freedom Zone: extracts from the debate

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