The European Parliament has passed a resolution on gender equality, which contains a declaration that trans women are women. While not a binding document, the resolution will influence EU member states and the bloc’s negotiating position at international forums.

Adopted last week, the resolution passed by 340 votes to 141, with 68 abstentions. The document includes a host of recommendations on gender equality and women’s rights, outlining the bloc’s approach ahead of the 70th annual UN Commission on the Status of Women, set to take place in New York next month.

Among the recommendations was a declaration to “emphasise the importance of the full recognition of trans women as women, noting that their inclusion is essential for the effectiveness of any gender-equality and anti-violence policies”.

The document adopted by the European Parliament also includes a “call for recognition of and equal access for trans women to protection and support services”.

Other parts of the resolution mention the LGBTQ+ community, with MEPs calling for a “comprehensive tool to monitor and counter democratic backsliding and backsliding in women’s rights.” It also highlights support for civil society groups, including “LGBTIQ+ organisations.”

The document also highlights recent “attacks by anti-gender and anti-rights movements” that “undermine democracy and target women’s and LGBTIQ+ rights”. Recommendations on sexual and reproductive rights also explicitly mention “access to gender-sensitive mental health services for young women and LGBTIQ+ people”.

Resolutions adopted by the European Parliament are not legally binding documents, however, they have an influence on the policies of EU member states. Moreover, the resolution will inform the EU’s position on matters of gender equality ahead of the negotiations in New York.

This puts the EU in a completely different position than the US, where US president Donald Trump has been eroding the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly of trans people, since his inauguration last year.