The European Commission has announced that EU member states can utilize existing social funds to provide safe abortion services to women from countries with restrictive abortion laws. This move is seen as a significant policy clarification, particularly for women from countries like Malta, Poland, Italy, and Croatia, where access to abortion is limited or heavily restricted. The Commission’s decision responds to the “My Voice, My Choice” campaign, which advocated for equitable abortion access across the EU.
The Commission has emphasized that member states can voluntarily use the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) resources to support safe abortion access abroad, without creating a new EU-wide abortion fund. This decision is expected to benefit women facing limited access to abortion services in their home countries. Supporters argue that this move ensures equal rights to safe abortions across the EU, while critics claim it infringes on national sovereignty and traditional values.
