This joint webinar with the Academy of European Law (ERA) and the University of Bristol covers everything from key terms and concepts to the most recent legal developments of trans rights in Europe. Participants will hear from leading experts about EU laws, how European courts affect trans rights, and practical ways to support trans people within legal and institutional systems.

Combining structured presentations with discussions and impulse sessions, the programme provides a balanced mix of theory, policy insights, and hands-on guidance to build practical skills for navigating this fast-changing area.

About the webinar

Date and Time: 07 – 08 December 2026, 09 – 13:00 CET, online

Target audience: trans activists, LGBTI rights advocates, journalists, academics, paralegals, lawyers, judges, legal staff of ombudspersons and NGOs, policymakers and civil servants.

This event is free to attend due to the generous co-financing of the UKRI Futures Leaders Fellowship .

Deadline to apply: 01 December

Note: Registration spots are limited, and participants will be selected. Individuals will not be discriminated in that procedure based on the EU’s protected grounds.

Key topics

Key terms and concepts of trans identities

The basics of EU law on trans rights

How European courts are influencing real-world change

Insights from recent landmark EU court cases

Speakers

Richard Köhler, Senior Policy Officer, TGEU — Trans Europe and Central Asia, Berlin

Annelies Cardon, Team Coordinator Trans and Intersex, Policy analysis and support, Institute for the Equality of Women and Men, Brussels

Anthony Collins, former Advocate General, CJEU; judge, Court of Appeal, Dublin

Nadège Defrère, Team Leader, Unit for Non-Discrimination: LGBTIQ, Age, Horizontal Matters, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers, European Commission, Brussels

Peter Dunne, Co-professor, University of Bristol Hrefna Friðriksdóttir, Professor of family and inheritance law, University of Iceland, Reykjavik

Iustina Ionescu, Human Rights Lawyer, Accept, Bucharest

Neža Kogovšek Šalamon, Judge, Constitutional Court of Slovenia, Slovenia

Denitsa Lyubenova, Lawyer, Head of the Legal Programme, LGBT Deystvie, Sofia

Vanya Teneva, Judge, Stara Zagora Regional Court, Stara Zagora

Alina Tryfonidou, Assistant Professor in Law, University of Cyprus, Nicosia

Your support makes change possible

We work across Europe and Central Asia to advance trans rights, build strong communities, and drive change through research, advocacy, and community-building.

Your donation helps us continue this vital work — defending trans lives, amplifying trans voices, and advocating for justice every day.