Doc. 8319

10 February 1999

Situation of lesbians and gays in the member states of the Council of Europe

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mrs Karlsson and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       In the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the rights of homosexuals were last discussed in the early eighties. The discussion centred mainly on the decriminalisation of homosexuality between consenting adults in private.

2       With the enlargement of the Council of Europe in the nineties, short discussions took place in relation to the accession criteria for new members and to the situation in Romania. These again centred on the criminal law. But the European Convention on Human Rights and its protocols encompass a much broader range of issues. There is surprisingly little information on the situation of lesbians and gays in many Council of Europe member states. Unfortunately, this is not because there is no discrimination, but rather because homosexuality is taboo in many member states and discriminatory attitudes are widely prevalent.

3.       In order to help bring about a Europe in which lesbians and gays can live free from discrimination, the Assembly decides :

-       to compile a report on discrimination against lesbians and gays in Council of Europe member states and, based on this report,

-       to draw up a common framework of recommendations to serve as a basis for legislation and non-discriminatory practices in this field in member states.

Signed : ¹

Karlsson, Austria, SOC

Behrendt, Germany, SOC

Etherington, United Kingdom, SOC

Freitag, Germany, SOC

Gelderblom-Lankhout, Netherlands, LDR

Jäger, Germany, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Langthaler, Austria, NR

Lörcher, Germany, SOC

Roth, Germany, SOC

Schloten, Germany, SOC

Schütz, Germany, SOC

Wodarg, Germany, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG:European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL : Group of the Unified European Left

      NR : Not registered in a group