EU demands protection of same-sex couples from Ukraine

Ukraine must ensure protection of same-sex couples to meet EU standards - European Commission's position

The European Commission has stressed the need to guarantee legal protection for same-sex couples in Ukrainian legislation as a condition for compliance with EU standards. This was reported by NGOs with reference to the official response of the EU institution.

What the European Commission said

In response to the appeal of the human rights organisation «The fulcrum» states that Ukraine's legal framework should be in line with EU standards, In particular:

• provide protection of same-sex couples;

• guarantee prohibition of discrimination;

• to harmonise family law with European human rights standards.

The European Commission stressed that adherence to these principles is an important element of the process Ukraine's European integration.

Discussion around draft law No. 14394

According to human rights activists, draft law No. 14394 could:

• to restrict the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community;

• question the legal validity of marriages after gender reassignment.

This has raised concerns about the initiative's compliance with European standards in human rights and non-discrimination.

The context of European integration

Equal rights and minority protection are part of the EU accession criteria, which include:

• the rule of law;

• respect for human rights;

• non-discriminatory state policy.

Ukraine, as a candidate country, is gradually harmonising its legislation with EU standards, which is regularly assessed by European institutions.