The European Commission has laid down the law in a new statement that bodes well for the LGBT community of member states looking to get in on the EU action; no longer will prospective European Union members with poor LGBT rights records be allowed into the cool club. Details follow. 

The European Parliament has condemned both member and non-member states that currently employ or are proposing harsh anti-LGBT laws, with a finger specifically pointed at Russia, Moldova, Latvia and Lithuania. Details follow. 

In an historic vote Thursday, the European Parliament voted to make it mandatory of Member States to give due consideration to people seeking asylum for gender identity persecution. Details after the jump!

The European Union’s standards of human rights include tolerance and respect of LGBT people. Find out what one country is finally allowing in hopes to one day be approved for E.U. status.

Though it would put the country in blatant violation of European Union human rights policy, lawmakers in Lithuania have proposed legislation that would make gender reassignment surgery illegal. More after the jump.

Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia are hoping to join the European Union, but the EU commission has reminded the trio of countries that each applicant must support rights for all minorities before inclusion can be considered. Turkey, Croatia and Macedonia aren't quite there yet.

The UKGayNews reports:

The three candidate countries were reminded that the protection of all minorities is a non-negotiable condition to access the European Union.

“I am happy that our amendments in favour of LGBT rights in the progress reports for Macedonia and Croatia were adopted by the European Parliament,” Ulrike Lunacek MEP, co-president of the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights, said this evening.

The report on Croatia conveys the...