Commission considers action to ensure EU-wide abortion access

A European citizens' initiative, called 'My Voice, My Choice', had its first meeting with the European Commission in Brussels on Wednesday to present their proposal for safe and accessible abortion care across the EU. But what are the rules in Belgium?

Campaigning to reduce the risk of unsafe abortion in Europe, the My Voice, My Choice team officially submitted more than one million signatures to the Commission in support of their proposal last month. Now, they spoke with European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib.

"It was like a very historic, surreal moment for us because we got a seat at the table in the European Commission," Nika Kovač, campaign coordinator, told The Brussels Times. "There is a misconception that reproductive rights are a divisive topic, but research shows that more than 70% of people in Europe support these rights."

To the meeting with Lahbib, the team also brought letters from citizens of the EU urging the Commission to implement the demands of My Voice, My Choice ECI and pass legislation that would support Member States in providing safe abortion care for anyone in Europe who still lacks access.

My Voice, My Choice's campaign leader Nika Kovač holding a speech. Credit: Črt Piksi

After a public call on International Safe Abortion Day last Sunday, more than 150,000 letters were sent to the European Commission. "After the 1,2 million signatures collected, these 150,000 letters of support once again show that people see this campaign as crucial."

In practice, 'My Voice, My Choice' is asking the Commission to make it possible, through a financial mechanism, for Member States to make abortion accessible for people living in other Member States where it is not accessible (such as Poland or Malta) – without interference in their national legislation. This would be an opt-in mechanism.

"The facts are very clear: in the EU, 20 million women do not have access to safe abortion care. This can lead to situations that are not only dangerous for the health and lives of women but also emotionally and socially harmful," she said. "We can change this."

Now that the initiative has officially been presented to the European Commission, the Commission has until March 2026 to decide whether to take legislative action to ensure access to safe abortion care in the EU.

What are the rules in Belgium?

The right to safe abortion is an integral part of people's reproductive rights in Belgium, stresses the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men (IEWM) on its website.

If you are faced with an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy, the procedure is legally possible up to 12 weeks of pregnancy (or 14 weeks after the first day of your last menstrual period), and can be done in specific centres and some hospitals across the country.

The limit has been criticised by reproductive rights groups as being too low. Figures show that between 300 and 400 women in Belgium travel to the Netherlands – which allows abortion up to 22 weeks after conception – to terminate their pregnancies every year.

In Flanders and Brussels, the centres run by LUNA vzw are ready to assist people in Dutch. In Wallonia and Brussels, those who need guidance can go to some Centres de planning familial (Family Planning Centres).

Credit: Črt Piksi

In addition to the 12-week limit, the law also requires a six-day waiting period between the first consultation and the procedure. For people with health insurance (which everyone is legally required to have), an abortion costs €4.50.

People who do not have health insurance or whose membership is not valid will generally pay the total amount of €582 themselves: €234 at the first consultation and €348 on the day the treatment begins.

After the initial consultation and the mandatory waiting period, a pregnancy can be terminated by two treatment methods: surgically (vacuum or suction aspiration) or medically (the so-called abortion pill method). For those who are seven weeks pregnant (or nine weeks since the first day of their last menstrual period) or longer, the aspiration method is the only option.

"There is no single 'best' method. Both have advantages, disadvantages, and limitations," the centres say on their website. "The choice is determined by the duration of your pregnancy, your situation, medical history, and personal preference."

What about after 12 weeks?

If you are more than 12 weeks pregnant, abortion is only permitted in Belgium if carrying the pregnancy to term would pose a serious risk to the woman's life, or if research shows that the child will suffer from an incurable condition (based on current scientific knowledge).

In these cases, treatment cannot be performed in one of the specialised centres but must take place in a hospital. The advice of a second physician must also be obtained before the procedure can happen.

Those who wish to have an abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy without a medical reason can currently not have it done in Belgium. However, they can go abroad (the Netherlands, France or the United Kingdom, for example). Specialised centres in Belgium can give more information and a possible referral to clinics abroad.

Will Belgium extend the legal limit for abortion?

Belgium's last Federal Government approved a parliamentary majority extending the deadline to terminate a pregnancy from 12 weeks to 18 weeks. However, the bill was not adopted due to fierce contestation by the Flemish Christian democrats CD&V.

In the aftermath, a multidisciplinary scientific committee was charged with evaluating the laws on abortion. Its recommendations, published in 2023, advised extending the deadline to 18 weeks minimum. This advice, however, was not taken.

The current Federal Government is led by the Flemish right-wing party N-VA, which was not in the previous coalition. The party is not in favour of relaxing abortion legislation any further.

The Brussels Times contacted CD&V for comment, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

On its website, however, the party states that it wants to "invest as much as possible in the protection and support of (vulnerable) women regarding unwanted pregnancies and abortion." This includes advocating for free contraception, maintaining a reflection period of at least 48 hours (instead of six days) for those who wish to have an abortion, and providing adequate psychosocial support and aftercare.

"CD&V believes the legal time limit for an abortion on request should not exceed 14 weeks, in the interest of both (vulnerable) women and the unborn child," the party said. "The request of some parties to extend the abortion time limit to 18 weeks as a general rule is undesirable for CD&V."

Commission considers action to ensure EU-wide abortion access - What about Belgium?

What are the rules in Belgium?

What about after 12 weeks?

Will Belgium extend the legal limit for abortion?

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