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Over 32,000 Signatures to Safeguard Equality in the EU!
Today, 17 July 2025, together with All Out, ENAR, ILGA-Europe, TGEU, ERGO Network, OII Europe, EL*C, and AGE Platform Europe, we delivered a petition to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Signed by over 32,000 people, the petition calls on the Commission not to withdraw its proposed anti-discrimination Directive, a crucial measure designed to combat discrimination in all areas of life across the EU.
Withdrawing this Directive would mean turning away from a vital opportunity to safeguard equal rights for everyone in the EU, at a time when protections against discrimination are under increasing threat around the world. We must not let that happen.
Our Letter
Subject: Delivery of petition signatures – Protect and advance the EU Anti-Discrimination Directive
Dear President von der Leyen and Commissioner Lahbib,
On behalf of AGE Platform Europe, EL*C, ENAR, ERGO Network, IGLYO, ILGA-Europe, OII Europe, TGEU, and the undersigned, we are writing to deliver over 33,000 petition signatures collected from All Out members in the EU and around the world, united by one clear demand:
Reconsider the withdrawal of the proposed EU Directive on anti-discrimination, and work towards meaningful protection for all.
We express our deep concern regarding the European Commission’s plan to withdraw the draft Directive on anti-discrimination without presenting a robust alternative. This step risks undermining the EU’s founding values and leaves millions across the continent exposed to discrimination – particularly those facing barriers based on age, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, and intersecting forms of marginalisation.
For over 15 years, this Directive has represented a vital promise: a Europe where equality is not a privilege, but a right enjoyed in all areas of life. The near-consensus reached under the Belgian Presidency shows that progress is possible. This should encourage the European Commission to maintain its ambition and, as guardian of the Treaties, uphold its responsibility to protect fundamental rights and actively support Member States in fulfilling their obligations to advance equality for all. Its withdrawal, at a moment when far-right and anti-equality forces are gaining momentum, sends a dangerous message that the EU is wavering in its commitment to a Union of Equality.
We are alarmed by the emergence of a fragmented legal landscape, where some groups and some countries benefit from stronger protections while others are left behind.
We urge the European Commission to:
- Decide not to withdraw the Directive on anti-discrimination.
- Should the withdrawal proceed, immediately present a comprehensive, ambitious alternative that addresses gaps in current protections.
- Engage in open and transparent consultation with civil society, Equality Bodies, EU Member States and the European Parliament to ensure that any new proposal strengthens, rather than weakens, protections for all.
- Take decisive steps to reaffirm and strengthen the EU’s leadership in promoting and defending human rights for all.
The EU’s international credibility and moral authority as a defender of human rights are at stake. Scrapping the proposed Directive without a clear and ambitious replacement would not only damage the EU’s reputation, but would also abandon millions to continued and unchecked discrimination.
We call on you to act now – to protect equality, defend human rights, and ensure a future free from discrimination for all people in the European Union.
Please find enclosed the signatures and messages of support from citizens and civil society across Europe and beyond.
Yours sincerely,
Katrin Hugendubel
Advocacy Director, ILGA-Europe
Ilaria Todde
Advocacy Director, EL*C
Julie Pascoet
Policy and Advocacy Manager, ENAR
Rú Ávila Rodríguez
Deputy Executive Director, IGLYO
Maciej Kucharczyk
Secretary General, AGE Platform Europe
Dan Christian Ghattas
Executive Director, OII Europe
Farah Abdi
Policy Officer, TGEU
Mary Collins
Secretary General, European Women’s Lobby
Isabela Mihalache
Senior Advocacy Officer, ERGO Network
Yuri Guaiana
Senior Campaigns Manager, All Out