BRUSSELS, January 24, 2007  –  The bans on gays donating blood in several European Union countries is to be further questioned by the European Parliament’s Intergroup on gay and lesbian rights, it emerged today.

Last year, the Intergroup asked the European Commission if it had specific plans to put an end to discriminatory practices in countries of the EU.

The Commission replied that one of the permanent exclusion criteria for donors is their “at-risk” sexual behaviour that has to be evaluated case by case.

However, the Intergroup “is not convinced that the ban respects the reasonable case-by-case exemption that is allowed in the Blood Directive”, it said in a statement today.

Last month, Spanish MEP Raül Romeva, a vice president of the Intergroup, specifically mentioned the United Kingdom and France who continue their ban on all gays because they are considered an “at-risk” group in relation to HIV.

The parliamentary group is also asking the Commission about the blatant gender discrimination in private bars and clubs of the LGBT community in new Member States.  Women often must pay 100% more than men in gay bars and clubs.

The parliamentary question is a procedure available to Members of European Parliament that enables them to ask clarifying questions to the European institutions.  The questioned institution is obligated to respond to these inquiries in as much detail as possible, ensuring higher awareness amongst all European institutions of upcoming problems facing European citizens.

“Through these questions, we are going to be able to get some clear answers on many different issues facing the European LGBT community,” Michael Cashman, President of the intergroup stated.

Alexander Stubb, Vice-President of the Intergroup added: “These questions allow the European Union to receive up-to-date information and allows us to determine whether further actions are necessary. Question E5739 [ban on gays giving blood] arose out of an unsatisfactory response which confirms the need to keep querying the Commission and the Council.”

In addition, the Intergroup announced that they were asking the Council of Ministers about the denial of freedom of assembly to the LGBT community in Moldova. And that the Commission was also being asked about the continued availability of the N-9 contraceptive that can cause bodily harm and was supposed to be removed from EU markets.

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Posted:24 January 2007 at 13:00 (UK time)