The leading court of the European Union announced on Friday that every member state must accept official changes to gender identity that have been made in any of the 27 countries within the bloc.

Legal professionals indicate that this ruling will enhance protections for transgender individuals throughout the region.

This decision arose from a case initiated by Arian Mirzarafie-Ahi, who holds both British and Romanian citizenship. Mirzarafie-Ahi was assigned female at birth in Romania, then relocated to Britain where he obtained official recognition of his male identity. However, Romanian officials subsequently denied his attempts to update his legal documents to reflect his gender identity.

The European Court of Justice stated in their announcement, “Just like a first name, gender is a core aspect of personal identity.”

“Not recognizing a person’s identity can lead to significant challenges in daily life, as well as serious professional, administrative, and personal difficulties.”

According to ILGA Europe, an organization that advocates for LGBTQ+ rights, access to gender recognition varies across Europe, similar to the situation in various U.S. states.

Romania, being a socially and culturally conservative country in the EU, often presents legal hurdles and discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals. In the UK, individuals 18 years or older can secure a gender recognition certificate after an assessment by a medical professional and meeting other criteria.

All 500 million citizens of the EU have the freedom to live and work anywhere in the member states.

The court’s ruling also pertains to Mirzarafie-Ahi in Britain, even though the UK is no longer a member of the EU post-Brexit, because the legal actions began before the United Kingdom left the EU.