Commissioner for Equality Helena Dalli (Ms Lahbib) has stated that the EU's LGBTIQ+ Equality Strategy 2026-2030 does not encourage minors to socially or medically transition, in a written answer to a parliamentary question from MEPs Christine Anderson (ESN), Sebastian Kruis (PfE), and Marieke Ehlers (PfE) on 15 June 2026. The answer pushes back against concerns that the strategy promotes early medical transition, instead stressing that healthcare policy remains a national competence and that the EU's role is limited to non-discrimination and child protection.
The question, submitted on 30 January 2026, cited independent reviews such as the UK's Cass Review and a US federal evidence assessment that found weak scientific basis for puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones in minors, and noted that several member states have restricted such interventions. The MEPs asked whether the Commission accepts those findings, whether it will conduct a child protection impact assessment for the strategy's implementation in schools, and how it will ensure EU-funded materials prioritise mental health evaluation and parental involvement.
In her answer, Lahbib did not directly address the scientific evidence cited by the MEPs. Instead, she reiterated that the strategy aims to protect against discrimination for all, and that protecting children's rights is a core EU objective under Article 24 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which requires the child's best interests to be a primary consideration. She pointed to the EU's comprehensive approach to mental health, including an EU-funded prevention toolkit for children's mental and physical health, as supporting vulnerable groups.
On EU funding, Lahbib explained that grants are awarded competitively based on programme goals set by the Council and Parliament, and that beneficiaries may be excluded if they incite discrimination, hatred, or violence. She did not announce any new impact assessment or specific measures to address the MEPs' concerns about ideological pressure on minors.
The answer signals that the Commission sees no conflict between its LGBTIQ+ equality agenda and child protection, and that it will not alter its strategy in response to the cited reviews. Institutional follow-up is unlikely in the short term, as the strategy is already adopted and implementation is underway through member state-led programmes. The exchange highlights a cleavage between MEPs who question the scientific basis for medical transition in minors and the Commission's focus on non-discrimination and equality, with potential impacts on LGBTIQ+ advocacy groups (positive, as the strategy remains unchanged), national health authorities (neutral, as they retain competence), and parents and minors (negative, as no new safeguards were promised).