The rights of LGBT persons are under threat in Europe, according to the annual Rainbow Europe survey, published on 15 May by Ilga-Europe, a Brussels-based NGO. Northern and western European countries generally scored well on the survey, indicating that they have strong legal protections for LGBT persons. Malta topped the list, scoring 91% in the rankings, followed by Belgium (79%), Norway (78%), Finland (73%), France (73%), and the UK (73%). But the situation is much more grim in eastern and southern states: Italy (27%) and Poland (18%), where among the lowest scoring EU members.