What changed

B100560/2025

B100563/2025

European Parliament resolution on the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion’

– having regard to the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion’ (ECI(2024)000004),

– having regard to Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1158 of 10 April 2024 on the request for registration, pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2019/788 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘My Voice, My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion’,

– having regard to Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and paragraph 1 thereof on the principle of subsidiarity,

– having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, and in particular Article 1 (on human dignity) and Article 2 (on the right to life) thereof,

– having regard to Article 168 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) concerning public health and in particular paragraph 7 thereof, which states that ‘Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and for the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care’,

– having regard to the Treaty on European Union (TEU), and in particular Articles 2, 4(2)Programme andof 5Action thereofadopted onat the respect for1994 nationalCairo identitiesInternational andConference on the principles of conferralPopulation and subsidiarity,Development,

– having regard to Article 168(7) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which provides that ‘Union action shall respect the responsibilities of the Member States for the definition of their health policy and the organisation of health services’,

– having regard to the judgment of the Court of Justice of 4 October 1991 in case C-159/90,

– having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights, and in particular Article 2 thereof, which provides that ‘everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law’,

– having regard to the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, in particular the judgment of 8 July 2004 in the case of Vo v France (Application no 53924/00), which confirms that the question of the legal status of prenatal life falls within the margin of appreciation of the Member States,

– having regard to Rule 228(8) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas motherhood should be regarded as a source of empowerment, not limitation, and whereas recognising women’s capacity to nurture and protect life is a powerful affirmation of their identity, dignity and resilience; whereas motherhood makes an essential contribution to society;

A. whereas Article 5 TEU reaffirms the principle of subsidiarity as a fundamental safeguard of national sovereignty;

B. whereas under Articles 6 and 168 TFEU, the EU’s role in health policy is limited to supporting, coordinating or supplementing Member State action, while Member States retain full responsibility for health policy, the organisation and delivery of health services, and the allocation of health sector resources;

B. whereas, in accordance with Article 168(7) TFEU, the competence to regulate abortion policies falls exclusively within the prerogative of the Member States, forming part of their sovereign right to define and organise their own health systems;

C. whereas abortion legislation is a matter that falls within the exclusive competence of the Member States; whereas women deserve better than abortion, as it often reflects a lack of adequate support for pregnant women; whereas Member States should create conditions – such as workplace flexibility, accessible healthcare and parental leave – that enable women to embrace both family life and professional fulfilment;

C. whereas, from its inception, the EU has been founded on respect for the diversity of the legal, social and cultural traditions of the Member States, and the coexistence of distinct national laws represents a historical reality predating European integration;

D. whereas the demographic situation of the EU is a serious long-term challenge, as the EU continues to record one of the lowest birth rates in the world, and requires measures that promote family support, intergenerational solidarity and a sustainable demographic future for Europe;

D. whereas the European citizens’ initiative entitled ‘My Voice, My Choice’ singles out certain Member States for their national public-health-related legislation and indirectly encourages actions that would contravene their domestic laws;

E. whereas the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ European citizens’ initiative proposes the establishment of a financial mechanism within the multiannual financial framework to support Member States that can give women from other countries access to abortion services, despite the limits imposed by Article 5(2) TEU on the EU’s competence and the requirement that all EU expenditure have a valid legal basis in the Treaty;

1. Notes that the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ initiative seeks to establish a European funding mechanism for abortion, which would amount to indirect harmonisation and constitute an unacceptable attempt to bypass the Treaties – including the principle of subsidiarity – and to undermine the sovereign authority of the Member States;

1. Reaffirms that the EU has no competence to harmonise national legislation on abortion or to impose obligations on Member States regarding the provision, regulation or financing of abortion services, in accordance with Article 168(7) TFEU and the principle of conferral under Article 5 TEU; rejects any proposal to establish an EU-level funding mechanism for abortion services and any attempt to characterise abortion as an EU-funded entitlement, given the absence of a legal basis under Articles 6 and 168 TFEU;

2. Reaffirms that the EU has no legal competence to legislate, promote or finance initiatives in the field of abortion policy; recalls that any decisions in this area remain exclusively within the remit of the Member States;

2.3. Calls on the Commission to concludereject thatthe ‘My Voice, My Choice’ initiative as incompatible with the proposalslimits of EU competences, the ‘Myfundamental Voice,principles Myof Choice’subsidiarity Europeanand citizens’national initiativesovereignty fallenshrined outsidein EUthe competence;Treaties, and respect for the national legal frameworks of the Member States;

3. Considers that, while abortion remains a sensitive and complex issue, it should not be used or promoted as a regular means of birth control; considers comprehensive family planning, responsible education and access to modern contraception to be important; notes that Member States provide for different legal frameworks, including specific exceptions in cases such as rape, incest or risks to the woman’s life or health;

4. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

4. Recalls that decisions on the financing of healthcare services fall within the responsibility of the Member States in accordance with Article 168(7) TFEU; believes that abortions performed when there are no exceptional grounds should not be financed by public funds, as taxpayer money should be used in a manner that is consistent with the principles of subsidiarity, human dignity and respect for differing national approaches;

5. Calls on the Member States to ensure that no woman should be coerced, directly or indirectly, into terminating a pregnancy because of social, financial or family pressure, and calls for better support services to enable women to continue pregnancies if they so choose;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.