RAINBOW ROSE - ACTIVITY REPORT FROM PORTO TO PRAGUE: WITH THE PES TOWARDS EQUALITY FOR ALL 1 Executive summary In the late 90s and in the first half of the current decade, several groups of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) leftwing activists started to cooperate, while the first civil partnership and marriage laws were adopted throughout Europe. It was in 2006 that the existence of this network was formally recognised by the PES, Rainbow Rose being granted the statute of an observer member of our political family. Since then, progresses have been achieved in many countries in Europe, always with the participation of the Socialists, if not under their leadership. Same-sex couples are now fully equal in Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the UK, and they can achieve a form of recognition in almost all western European countries but Italy. From 2006 on, the movement shows that the new EU Member States are also part of the movement, since the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia also have recognised partnerships. At the same time, Rainbow Rose and its members help raising awareness on other crucial issues such as the right of transgender people to be free from medical harassment and to see their gender transition recognised by the States. The 2009 European election campaign was a step in the long road towards equality. Rainbow Rose began preparing it in September 2007, with a contribution being submitted in the frame of the PES activists’ consultation. Our text obtained the support of tens of incumbent MEPs and a lot of activists, and inspired proposals 26 and 27 of the PES Manifesto. Rainbow Rose played a major role in raising awareness on the shadow directive against discrimination. Each Rainbow Rose member contacted their respective national party and MEP to make sure that the Socialist Group as a whole would defend the horizontal directive. The PES clearly confirmed its unanimous support to a directive against all discrimination in all sectors of social and economic life, and committed to improve the mutual recognition of all kinds of registered couples and families in Europe. During the campaign itself, Rainbow Rose had a common flyer translated in many languages, and encouraged its members to participate to cross-European initiatives. On 24 May 2009, we organised a meeting in Rome, with activists from more than 11 countries among the speakers, including national MPs and MEPs. The PES supported this initiative, and sent us a statement by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and Zita Gurmai. Several Rainbow Rose national members are also parts of ILGA-Europe, the widest LGBT civil society organisation in Europe. Rainbow Rose was thus represented at ILGA-Europe’s yearly conferences in Paris (2005), Sofia (2006), Vilnius (2007), Vienna (2008) and Malta (2009). As we believe in fruitful exchanges between political parties and the civil society, these meetings are of capital importance. The Rainbow Rose members in 2009: SoHo (Austria), PS (Belgium), SP.a (Belgium), SD (Denmark), SDE (Estonia), SDP (Finland), HES (France), Schwusos (Germany), PASOK (Greece), Labour LGBT (Ireland), Rosa Arcobaleno (Italy), LGBT Labour (Malta), PvdA Homo Emancipatie Netweerk (Netherlands), DNA (Norway), SDPL (Poland), Rainbow Rose Portugal (Portugal), PSOE (Spain), Hbt(s) (Sweden), PS (Switzerland), LGBT Labour (UK), and individual activists or officials of the PD (Italy). 2 CONTENT 1. WHAT IS RAINBOW ROSE? P.6 Rainbow Rose, the network of LGBT socialist, social-democratic and Labour activists in Europe Grounds of our activities Rainbow Rose and the PES 2. RAINBOW ROSE ACTIONS AT EUROPEAN LEVEL AND SOCIALISTS FOR LGBT RIGHTS AT EUROPEAN LEVEL P.8 Rainbow Rose in Malta for the ILGA-Europe conference: the Maltese LBGT Labour joins us! Who is Jerzy Buzek? EPP Candidate to the Parliament’s Presidency has a Completely Conservative Background European Parliament Election, June 7th: a Left-Wing Majority in Europe to protect Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Trans Rights Rome, May 24th: A Progressive Majority for LGBT Fundamental Rights! PES/Rainbow Rose Meeting for Rights and Secularism Socialist MP calls for careful monitoring of homophobia by public authorities in Russia and Latvia by the Council of Europe Two Left-Wing Victories in the European Parliament: against Discriminations and for Free Movement! Rainbow Rose Campaigns: for a Left-Wing Majority in the European Parliament! PES Women, Rainbow Rose: The Fight against HIV/AIDS, our Common Commitment Rainbow Rose at the PES Council in Sofia: quick report PES 2009 Manifesto: Supports for Rainbow Rose Contribution Proposing and campaigning with the European Socialists! Rainbow Rose’s election campaign – European Parliament 2009 3. LGBT RIGHTS IN EU INSTITUTIONS: BUILDING SUCCESSFUL COALITIONS P.17 The EU Fundamental Rights Agency publishes a New Report on Homophobia and Transphobia, and offers a Broad Social and Legal Analysis A Socialist LGBT-friendly Manifesto for the 2009 European Elections Rainbow Rose sends its contribution to the 2010 Work Programme of FRA, the Agency for Fundamental Rights of the European Union 14 January 2009: LGBT rights strongly mentioned in MEP Giusto Catania’s report on Fundamental Rights in the EU, voted by the European Parliament 3 Rainbow Rose present at the ILGA-EUROPE 2008 conference in Vienna (October 29th - November 2nd) European Parliament: Rainbow Rose Supports a Declaration on Equal Recognition of Civil Partnerships Rainbow Rose Supports the European Women Lobby 50/50 Campaign: “No Modern European Democracy Without Gender Equality” 26th of July: Rainbow Rose at the European Socialist Youth (ECOSY) Summer Camp in Carpentras, France 2009 European Elections: PES Activists Forum on the Manifesto, Vienna A Victory: First Step towards an Inclusive Directive against all Discriminations RAINBOW ROSE Calls on the European Commission to Deliver Now on its Promise of an Horizontal Directive against all Discriminations! A Man Loses his French Citizenship after Marrying a Dutch: France and all member States Must Recognize Marriages and Partnerships Valid in the State of Residence! Rainbow Rose for a new comprehensive European directive against all discriminations EU Slovenian Presidency – ILGA-Europe conference on LGBT families in Europe April 2007: the European Parliament against homophobia 4. RAINBOW ROSE ACTION IN MEMBER STATES P.26 Austria’ Council of Ministers Approves Registered Partnership Law New German "Black-Yellow Coalition": When the Right Wins, Rights vanish Landslide Victory For The Greek Socialists: Another Step Towards Equality Ireland: Towards a Civil Partnership... and How to Make it Better! Socialists Open the Way to Same-sex Couples Recognition in Hungary Sweden: Gay marriage after decades of struggle! Denmark: a Center-Left Parliamentary Majority Opens Adoption for Same-sex Couples Poland and Gay History Austria: Upcoming Election Turning Point for Gays and Lesbians Bulgaria France, Preparing the Congress of the Parti Socialiste (PS) in November 2008: the Contribution of Homosexualités et Socialisme (HES) Lithuania Athens Pride 2008: Support to Same-sex Marriage! London: European gays and lesbians vote for Ken Livingstone! 4 Spain - Slovenia 5. RAINBOW ROSE ACTIONS IN NEIGHBOURING STATES P. 39 Belarus: support to civil society, LGBT activism, and visas Turkey: the Supreme Court of Appeals Confirms the Right of LGBT Association Lambda Istanbul to Register, Conform to Freedom of Association Bosnia-Herzegovina: protection needed for LGBT citizens EQUALITY IN NORWAY FOR SAME -SEX COUPLES 6. RAINBOW ROSE WORLD ACTIONS P. 43 May 18th: Rainbow Rose Supports the World AIDS Vaccine Day Rainbow Rose supports Barack Obama! 5 1. WHAT IS RAINBOW ROSE? RAINBOW ROSE , THE NETWORK OF LGBT SOCIALIST , SOCIAL -DEMOCRATIC AND LABOUR ACTIVISTS IN EUROPE The LGBT network of the Party of European Socialists Rainbow Rose is a network working within the Party of European Socialists (PES). It was created in 2005-2006, after contacts were established years before between its current members. Rainbow Rose’s membership is composed of all the groups of LGBT activists working within PES member parties in Europe. It was recognized by the PES Congress as an observer member in Porto (December 2006) Our current membership is composed of: SoHo (Austria) LGBT delegates of PS (Belgium) LGBT delegates of SP.a (Belgium) LGBT delegates of SD (Denmark) Vikerroos (Estonia) Pinkkiruusu (Finland) Homosexualités et Socialisme (France) Schwusos (Germany) LGBT delegates of the PASOK (Greece) Labour LGBT (Ireland) Delegati LGBT del PD (Italy) Rosa Arcobaleno (Italy) PvdA Netwerk Homo Emancipatie (Netherlands) LGBT delegates of SDPL (Poland) Grupo LBGT del PSOE (Spain) Hbt(s) (Sweden) Commission LGBT du PSS (Switzerland) LGBT Labour (United Kingdom) Rainbow Rose Portugal (Portugal) LGBT section, Malta Labour Party (Malta) Rainbow Rose considers the following groups as natural partners: the Queer network of ECOSY, the PES MEPs from the EP Intergroup on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Rights. Rainbow Rose intends to work in cooperation with: the LGBT socialist groups among the observer parties of the PES, the PES Women Standing Committee, ILGA Europe, the Parliamentary Group of the PES, the LGBT coordination of the International Socialist. Rainbow Rose also welcomes individual PES members to participate in activities and support our network. Grounds of our activities 6 Rainbow Rose aims to promote LGBT rights, equality and diversity throughout Europe and within the PES and PES