European Commission Refuses EU-Wide Ban on Conversion Therapy

The European Commission announced that it will not introduce a mandatory EU-wide ban on conversion therapy. Instead, in 2027, it will issue an official but non-binding recommendation for member states to ban the practice. This decision came in response to a petition by the European Citizens’ Initiative, signed by 1.2 million people.

Earlier, in April 2026, a majority of MEPs urged the Commission to draft a law that would completely ban attempts to “cure” homosexuality and transgender identity across all EU countries. However, after analyzing the legal possibilities, the European Commission opted for a recommendation.

Commission representatives strongly condemned conversion therapy. According to Equality Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, the Commission urges all member states to ban this practice immediately. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also supported national bans, stating that such practices “have no place in our Union.” In addition to recommendations, the European Commission plans to conduct information campaigns, fund training for medical professionals and psychologists, and research the extent of conversion therapy in Europe.

Activists from the Against Conversion Therapy (ACT) campaign, who gathered over 1.2 million signatures and secured the support of more than 300 NGOs and 411 MEPs, expressed disappointment. ACT representative Matteo Garguilo stated that condemnation alone is not enough, and the organization will continue to push for a complete ban.

The human rights organization ILGA-Europe welcomed the Commission’s initiative but called for the rapid translation of recommendations into national laws. ILGA-Europe Deputy Director Katrin Hugendubel emphasized that symbolic actions are insufficient to protect victims.

According to data from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, 24 percent of LGBT people in the European Union have faced some form of conversion practice. Currently, national bans on conversion therapy exist in only eight EU countries: Malta (since 2016), Germany (2020), France (2022), Greece (2022), Spain (2023), Belgium (2023), Cyprus (2023), and Portugal (2024).

Major medical, psychiatric, and human rights organizations consider conversion therapy ineffective and dangerous. Studies link it to depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts. The practice can target both minors and adults. It includes prayer meetings, psychological counseling, exorcism, fasting, beatings, humiliation, and rape, all justified as attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.