Children will be able to choose their own gender at any age under controversial new EU proposals.

Therapy to check whether children are certain they want to change their gender and age limits on gender recognition could be discarded in the new plans. 

The proposals, which are laid out in the European Commission's new 'LGBTIQ+ equality strategy 2026-2030', have been condemned for 'silencing women'.

EU member states who challenge gender ideology could be punished, with 'discriminating regions' that do not comply with 'values' seeing funding blocked. 

The document, published on Wednesday, declares it will 'support the development of legal gender recognition procedures based on self-determination that are free from age restrictions.'

It states: 'Requirements for legal gender recognition vary significantly across Member States. 

'While a number of Member States have adopted self-determination models, others impose medical procedures, which the European Court of Human Rights has found may infringe human rights.

'The Commission will facilitate exchanges of best practices among Member States to support the development of legal gender recognition procedures based on self-determination that are free from age restrictions.' 

Talking therapy for children who are suffering from gender issues could also be banned.

The EU commission proposals, which have not yet been ratified by national governments, criticise countries, including Britain, which require a GP’s approval before they can identify as the opposite sex.

The new strategy has been branded 'chilling' by sex rights campaigners.

Maya Forstater, chief executive of Sex Matters, told the Telegraph: 'This chilling EU-wide strategy pushes legal gender self-identification for children of any age and a ban on talking therapy for vulnerable children.

'It is a mercy that British campaigners for sex-based rights don’t have to deal with this sinister strategy and the pernicious capture of EU institutions, on top of our own challenges in the UK.

'Gender activists have entrenched their ideology in European institutions with devastating consequences for women and girls, vulnerable children, and gay and lesbian people.'

Meanwhile, the Athena Forum, a European equivalent of Sex Matters, said women were being 'silenced' by the EU.

Of 27 EU member states, only 9 countries currently allow for self-identification, while 12 impose medical requirements to confirm a gender change. 

In the UK, children as young as 16 can be given gender-affirming hormones, but they cannot change their gender on their medical record until 18.