Landmark opinion: Top EU lawyer backs trans people’s right to legal gender recognition across the EU

Last week, Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union Richard de la Tour delivered his Opinion in the case C-43/24 Shipov. The case was brought forward by a Bulgarian trans woman currently living in Italy who was repeatedly denied her requests to legally amend her gender marker and name on her Bulgarian documents by Bulgarian courts.

We’re excited to invite you to an online screening of MGRM’s documentary “The Distance We Call Home”, followed by a live discussion with the co-directors Mehk and bobb attard, and cinematographer Nina Musumeci.

Sweden’s new Legal Gender Recognition Act has officially come into force. The reform simplifies the legal gender recognition procedure but falls short of a full self-determination model.

On the occasion of the banned Budapest LGBTI Pride, TGEU – Trans Europe and Central Asia stands in solidarity with all trans and gender diverse people in Hungary, whose fundamental rights are under unprecedented attack.

TGEU's Trans Rights Index and Map 2025 reveals an unprecedented reversal: for the first time in its 13-year history, setbacks in human rights of trans people across Europe and Central Asia now clearly outweigh progress.

On 16 April, the UK Supreme Court delivered its judgment in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers.  TGEU condemns this judgment, as the Court has interpreted the protected characteristic of ‘sex’ and the word ‘woman’ in the UK’s Equality Act (the anti-discrimination law) to mean ‘biological sex’ and ‘biological woman’.

Hungary's recent constitutional amendment enshrining a binary definition of gender is a direct attack on the human rights and dignity of trans and non-binary people. President Orbán may amend the constitution, but he cannot erase the existence of trans and non-binary people who remain an integral part of Hungarian society.

ACCEPT, TGEU and ILGA-Europe welcome today’s decision of the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU)  in case C-4/23 Mirin, strengthening the rights of trans people. The Court said that the refusal of an EU Member State to recognise changes of forename and gender acquired in another Member State is contrary to the rights of EU citizens.

Five Trans Advocacy Week delegates delivered statements on behalf of 15 trans and gender diverse activists from the Global South and East. Watch the videos.

Today, TGEU (Trans Europe and Central Asia) launches its annual update of the Trans Rights Index & Map, which documents the legal situation of trans people in Europe and Central Asia. 

On May 7, the Advocate General Court of Justice of the European Union said that Romania's refusal to recognise changes of forename and legal gender marker acquired in another Member State is contrary to the rights of EU citizens.

10 years into our Trans Rights Map in Europe & Central Asia, we look at the trends. Find out how the rankings changed and which areas improved.