French Minister for Health has announced today that the country will end its lifetime ban on gay men donating blood.

Starting from the start of 2016, all men will be able to donate blood, regardless of sexual orientation.

Speaking at a meeting in the health ministry, Health Minister Marisol Touraine said beginning in the spring of 2016, no one can be refused based on their sexual orientation.

“Giving blood is an act of generosity, citizenship, that cannot be conditioned on sexual orientation,” she said in a statement.

Last week, it was announced that Holland would also be lifting its lifetime ban on gay blood donors.

Many governments still uphold the ban, which was imposed in the early stages of the AIDS crisis, because men who have sex with men are seen as more likely to be HIV positive. This policy has been widely deemed as outdated and unjustified.

Ireland still prevents men who have had sex with men from giving blood, a rule that was introduced at the height of the Aids crisis in 1985.