ACT is the European Association Against Conversion Therapy.
Founded in 2023, we are an NGO with the mission to act as an international co-ordinator between national LGBTQI+ associations all around the European Union, in order to fight dangerous practices rooted in homotransphobia.
Our plan is to set up an European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) to ban conversion therapy in the European Union.
THE ISSUE
Conversion therapy is a pseudoscientific practice of attempting to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms.
Methods range from exorcisms and spiritual interventions to hormonal castration and arousal reconditioning.
According to the European Parliament Research Service, around 2% of European LGBTQ+ citizens have undergone conversion therapy, while 5% have been offered such practices.
OUR PLAN
STEP 1
Create a committee of at least 7 Representatives from 7 different EU countries
to initiate the European Citizens' Initiative.
STEP 2
Once approved, collect 1 million proofs of support in the form of signatures
of a petition around all of the European Union.
STEP 3
Defend the ban of conversion therapy before the European Commission.
The European Commission registers our
European Citizens’ Initiative for a “Ban on
conversion practices in the European Union”
Lyon, 25th of January 2024
Yesterday, the European Commission decided to register our European Citizens' Initiatives, titled ‘Ban on conversion practices in the European Union'.
As the organisers, we call for a ban on interventions aimed at changing, repressing or suppressing the sexual orientation, gender identity and/or gender expression of LGBTQI+ citizens.
In particular, we call on the Commission to propose a directive adding conversion practices to the list of EU crimes or amend the proposed directive on equality to include a ban on conversion practices. We also call for amendments to Directive 2012/29/EU on victims' rights to establish minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of conversion practices.
Next Steps
Following today's registration, we have six months to open the signature collection. If a European Citizens' Initiative receives one million statements of support from citizens of at least seven different Member States within one year, the Commission will have to react. The Commission will have to decide whether to take action in response to our request or not, and they will be required to explain their reasoning. The collecting period should last between May 2024 until May 2025.
Background
The European Citizens' Initiative was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty. It is an agenda-setting tool in the hands of citizens, officially launched in April 2012. Once formally registered, a European Citizens' Initiative allows one million citizens from at least seven EU Member States to invite the European Commission to propose legal acts in areas of its competence. The conditions for admissibility are: (1) the proposed action does not manifestly fall outside the framework of the Commission's powers to submit a proposal for a legal act, (2) it is not manifestly abusive, frivolous or vexatious and (3) it is not manifestly contrary to the values of the Union. Since the beginning of the European Citizens' Initiative, the Commission has registered 109 initiatives.
Organisers
We are currently looking for new partners, both LGBTQI+
and Human Rights NGOs, and other country representatives
in order to make this initiative as diverse and European as we can.
