Following a landmark case in France, European lawmakers are pushing once again for a unified, consent-based definition of rape across the entire EU. France recently amended its law to require informed, specific, and revocable consent for sexual contact, a reform prompted by the high-profile Gisèle Pelicot case. The article argues that the lack of a common standard in the EU results in unequal justice for victims and allows perpetrators to escape conviction. MEPs emphasize that national solutions are insufficient and that a unified EU approach is necessary to combat violence rooted in gender inequality.
Nov 24, 2025 euobserver