The European Commission is analyzing a citizen initiative with 1.8 million signatures to ban LGBTQ+ conversion practices in the EU.

The European Commission has announced that it will examine a European citizens' initiative that has gathered over 1.8 million signatures from 11 member states, calling for a ban on conversion practices for LGBTQ+ individuals. The organizations that initiated the effort are asking Brussels to propose a legally binding ban, defining these practices as interventions aimed at changing or suppressing sexual orientation and gender identity. Conversion practices are considered torture by the United Nations and are banned in an increasing number of countries.

The European Commission has until May 18, 2026, to respond officially, and in the coming weeks, it will meet with the initiators to discuss the details of the initiative. The European Parliament will also hold a public hearing on this subject. The initiative has been validated and thus becomes the 13th initiative examined by the European Commission.