The European Commission gave a positive reply on Thursday to the initiative ‘My Voice, My Choice: For safe and accessible abortion’, which reached about 1.2 million verified signatures last year.
To be successful, a European Citizens' Initiative, which is the EU’s main instrument for participative democracy, must reach one million statements of support as well as minimum thresholds in at least seven Member States.
As abortion is not a EU-wide competency but falls to the individual Member States, the NGOs behind the campaign realised that it would not be possible to harmonise EU legislation. Instead, they focused on the creation of a dedicated EU fund for reproductive care.
Instead of establishing a new fund, the Commission decided to grant funding for access to legally available, affordable and safe abortion services and related travel via the European Social Fund (ESF+).
In case Member States wish, voluntarily and in accordance with their national laws, they can provide such support by using or reallocating available resources under their ESF+ programmes.
"We worked hard to give a smart answer to the ECI committee," said Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, at a press briefing after having met the committee today. "They did an amazing job proving that participatory democracy works. It’s now up to the Member States to use the funding."
However, the communication on the decision does not include any estimate of the funding needed and allocated to abortion. There is no ceiling, and Member States have only to establish a project and allocate the money needed for it within their national envelope.
'A victory for women in Europe'
The ESF+ can support initiatives, selected at the national level, that aim to ensure and enhance equal and timely access to healthcare services. This can include access by people in vulnerable positions. These efforts are part of a broader strategy to enhance social cohesion and improve the overall quality of life for everyone living in the EU.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 483,000 unsafe abortions take place in Europe each year. "Behind every unsafe abortion is a woman forced to risk her life because she has no safe option. No support. No protection," Lahbib added.
In the EU, access to abortion care diverges widely among Member States. The ECI’s organisers estimated that 20 million women in the EU still lack access to safe abortion.
In a previous interview for The Brussels Times, Lahbib said that she could not predict if those Member States that currently limit or ban abortion would oppose this initiative, which allows those who need an abortion to do it in another Member State. This question remains unanswered.
According to Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness, who is responsible for the ESF, the initiative gained broad support in the EU and among Member States. "Providing quality and affordable healthcare to women is about respecting their rights and basic dignity."
At least 10 Member States are already backing it, but the Commissioners did not disclose which ones.
My Voice, My Choice coordinator Nika Kovač said: "Today is a victory for women in Europe and a good day for European democracy. For the first time, the Commission confirms unequivocally that EU funds can be used to guarantee access to safe abortion care – particularly for women in vulnerable situations, regardless of where they come from in Europe."
