Brussels – No new legal instruments, no additional resources: the European Commission verbally welcomes but effectively rejects the demands of the citizens’ initiative “My Voice, My Choice”. Brussels does not believe a new solidarity mechanism for safe abortion is necessary: women who do not have access to abortion in their own country will have to continue to rely on existing funds.
The matter was concluded by Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Skills, Education, Culture, Labour and Social Rights, and Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, at a press conference held today (26 February) on the sidelines of the College of Commissioners. The EU Commission explained that “Member States can already use existing funding” from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to support access to abortion services for pregnant women.
Therefore, given that “EU support can be provided relatively quickly by Member States that wish to do so,” according to the European executive’s note, there will be no new legal instrument to support the initiative. Nothing more can be done, partly because, as the Commission points out in a note, healthcare is the exclusive competence of Member States, while Brussels’ role is only to provide support, i.e. it can only coordinate “the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care”. In short, the European Commission’s hands are tied. Or it is washing its hands of the matter, depending on your point of view.
However, the call to use existing funding risks being no more than a mere declaration of intent. Without a dedicated and simplified mechanism, access to abortion will continue to depend on the political will of individual Member States to allocate their own resources, leaving unresolved the paradox of those who live in countries where institutional obstructionism makes abortion a right only on paper.
Nika Kovac, coordinator of the “My Voice, My Choice” citizens’ initiative, responded immediately: “The European Parliament gave us the maximum support possible. The European Commission respected that. However, we are disappointed that they have not allocated additional funds for this project. It will go through the existing funding programme, which is fine, but we are sad that there are no additional funds,” she said in a statement. Yet Kovac highlights the glass half full: “What we need to celebrate, the reason why this is historic, the reason why we are shedding tears of joy today, is that there is a way out” and “that as women, we no longer have to be treated as second-class citizens and feel that our lives can be sacrificed. Today we have won, today we will celebrate, tomorrow we will start working harder because what we have understood from today’s meeting is that the institution itself will not take care of the situation and that the movement is necessary.”
The citizens’ initiative was accepted by the European Commission on 1 September 2025, having met and complied with the required criteria. Subsequently, it was voted on in plenary session at the European Parliament, receiving 358 votes in favour, 202 against, and 69 abstentions. MEPs had therefore sided with civil society to urge EU Member States that still make it difficult to terminate a pregnancy to reform their laws and policies on abortion in line with international human rights standards. The popular request also called on the EU executive to establish an optional financial mechanism, open to all Member States on a voluntary basis and supported by EU funds. This mechanism would have enabled participating states to guarantee access to safe termination of pregnancy, in accordance with their national legislation, to people who do not have access to safe and legal abortion. The Commission had until March 2026 to indicate any legislative or non-legislative measures to be taken. The initiative was the twelfth to receive a formal response since 2012.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
