27-31 December 1996: ILGA’s 18th European conference takes place in Madrid, organised by COGAM. ILGA-Europe is founded as ILGA’s regional umbrella for Europe. Its constitution is adopted, and it is decided to establish the new organisation under Belgian law with its headquarter in Brussels.

The first ILGA-Europe board, consisting of 8 people, is elected:

Mili Hernández (Spain), Steffen Jensen (Denmark), Miluš Kotišová (Czech Republic), Kurt Krickler (Austria), Hannele Lehtikuusi (Finland; Hannele died on 20 February 2004 on her 44th birthday), Jackie Lewis (United Kingdom), Enric Vilà, (Spain) and Mark Watson (United Kingdom).

Jackie and Kurt are appointed co-chairs. Jackie remains so until 2005 when she becomes the secretary; Kurt remains co-chair until the 2003 Glasgow conference when he does not run for the board again; Steffen was appointed treasurer and remains so until retiring at the Bucharest conference in 2000.

Reserves: Eva Ogenborg (Sweden) and Gonçalo Dumas Diniz (Portugal).

Pierre Noël (Belgium) is co-opted into the board as Belgian citizen, a requirement under Belgian law. This will be done every year until 2000.

Important achievements/events

Action Plan “24 ideas for European Commission-led initiatives”: ILGA-Europe starts presenting itself to the European Commission and lobbying for its Action Plan “24 ideas for European Commission-led initiatives”, prepared by Alberto Volpato and adopted by the Madrid conference. The Action Plan is sent to all European commissioners. 17 of 20 commissioners reply to ILGA-Europe. Between May and December 1997, a series of meetings with Commission representatives takes place, in many of which ILGA-Europe is also represented by Alberto Volpato. Main idea behind the Action Plan: “Mainstreaming” LBGT issues in all EU policies and activities, and making the EU aware of these issues.

EU Intergovernmental Conference: “Sexual orientation” is included as a non-discrimination category in Article 13 EC Treaty adopted in June 1997 – the basis for the EU to combat discrimination in the future.

First EU funding: In December 1997, the European Commission informs ILGA-Europe that its project – “Equality for Lesbians and Gay Men – A relevant issue in the civil and social dialogue” – will receive EU funding.

Co-operation with the European Parliament: On 16 December 1997, ILGA-Europe attends, for the first time, the meeting of the European Parliament Intergroup “Equal Rights for Gays and Lesbians” founded in October 1997. In the years to come, ILGA-Europe takes part in the Intergroup’s monthly meetings on a regular basis.

The Euro-Letter, published since 1991 by Danish member LBL on behalf of ILGA, continues to be produced on behalf of ILGA-Europe from issue # 47 onwards. Steffen Jensen also creates an own website for ILGA-Europe.

ILGA-Europe attends the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting in Warsaw in November, thus continuing lobbying work by ILGA’s European Working Party since the 1980s. This lobbying goes on until today.

Although the Madrid conference had decided to have one single European region, the ILGA (World) Conference in Colognein July 1997 created two European regions in its new constitution: West Europe and East Europe.

Annual Conference in London, UK

The conference decides to remain one single European region and to elect only two instead of four representatives to the ILGA Executive Board.

After Madrid, the annual ILGA European conference is moved from the holiday season between Christmas and New Year to October of each year. This first ILGA-Europe conference is organised by the National Lesbian and Gay Committee of UNISON from 9 to 13 October. Opening speaker is openly gay UK minister of culture, Chris Smith. Around 60 delegates participate.

A new board is elected: Adrian Relu Coman (Romania), Gonçalo Dumas Diniz (Portugal; he resigns in June 1998), Steffen Jensen (Denmark), MilušKotišová(Czech Republic), Kurt Krickler (Austria), Jackie Lewis (United Kingdom), Eva Ogenborg (Sweden) and Maren Wuch (Germany).

Reserves: Lilian Kotter (Estonia), Mark Watson (United Kingdom) and Enric Vilà (Spain).