The European Union’s top court ruled that all member countries must recognize official changes to gender identity made in other EU nations, a decision expected to enhance protections for transgender individuals.

This ruling stemmed from a case involving Arian Mirzarafie-Ahi, a dual British-Romanian national who faced challenges updating his identity documents in Romania after legally obtaining recognition of his male gender in Britain.

The European Court of Justice emphasized that gender is a fundamental aspect of personal identity and that refusal to recognize it creates significant difficulties in daily life, USA Today has reported.

This decision applies to Mirzarafie-Ahi in Britain, despite the UK’s exit from the EU, as his case was initiated before Brexit.

Written by B.C. Begley