Bound by a citizen petition to decide on the ban of anti-LGBT “conversion therapies,” the European Commission says it cannot “effectively” carry it out but condemns these practices and pledges to press the matter with the member states.
“Conversion practices are not therapy. It is time to ban them.” Reading the message posted on its Instagram account this Wednesday, May 13, one might think that the European Commission announced it would ban conversion “therapies” that claim to cure homosexuality or alter a person’s gender identity. That is not the case: if a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) indeed compelled it to take a stance on the subject, the EU executive body does not consider itself able to ban these practices, promising instead to push the member states to do so.
It was the submission, six months ago, of a petition on the topic that crossed the million-signature threshold, obliging the Brussels Commission to respond by May 17, 2026. Co-chair of ACT (Against Conversion Therapy), which carried this European citizen’s petition, Mattéo Garguilo tells têtu that this is “a missed opportunity, while these practices are still legal in 19 countries in the Union.” On April 29, the European Parliament had nonetheless adopted a non-binding resolution in favor of a ban. And this, by a wide majority despite the abstention of National Rally (RN) MEPs behind Jordan Bardella, and the negative votes of other French MEPs such as François-Xavier Bellamy or Marion Maréchal.
EU for a ban
The European Commission remains openly in favor of banning the “conversion therapies.” “Today, we commit to adopting a recommendation to the Member States, urging them to ban conversion practices across the entire EU. They have no place in our Union”, said its president, Ursula von der Leyen, adding: “The EU stands proudly beside the LGBTQI+ community and reaffirms its vision of a Union of equality, a place where everyone can live freely, openly and authentically.” In its response, the institution indeed announces its intention to present this recommendation in 2027, though it will be non-binding.
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Sophie Brennan