BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Commission announced on Wednesday its intention to urge all European Union (EU) member states to ban gay "conversion therapy" ahead of the annual Brussels Pride festival. This decision follows a public campaign aimed at eliminating the controversial practice and aims to enhance protections for the LGBTQ+ community across the Union.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that "conversion practices" have "no place in our Union." She reiterated the commitment made by the EU executive to increase protections for LGBTQ+ citizens since her tenure began in 2019.

The EU's Agency for Fundamental Rights reported that in 2024, one in four LGBTQ+ individuals surveyed had experienced the scientifically discredited practice of attempting to change their sexual orientation or gender identity. The prevalence of such practices was notably high in Greece, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Slovakia.

This decisive action from the Commission comes on the heels of a petition that garnered support from over a million EU citizens, demanding a legally binding ban on conversion practices targeting LGBTQ+ individuals within the EU. Currently, only 10 out of the 27 EU nations have fully or partially outlawed conversion therapy, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – Europe.

Malta became the first European nation in 2016 to outlaw any attempts to change the sexual orientation of gay individuals. Following Malta, France has also instituted a ban that includes criminal penalties such as jail time and fines for those who attempt to use conversion therapy to alter the sexual orientation or gender identity of LGBTQ+ individuals.

"Conversion practices are built on a lie, the lie that LGBTQ+ people need to be fixed, that there is something wrong with who they are. And there is, of course, nothing to fix, there is nothing to cure, and there is no one to change," declared Hadja Lahbib, the European Commissioner for Equality. She emphasized that "you cannot torture away a person’s identity, and you cannot legislate it away," acknowledging that unfortunately, these harmful practices continue.

This weekend, tens of thousands of people are expected to march in Brussels, which serves as the institutional heart of the EU, to participate in the city's 30th annual parade celebrating LGBTQ+ rights and culture. The event is anticipated to be a significant display of support for the community.