The European Commission announced Thursday that member nations can tap into existing EU social funds to provide free abortion services for women traveling from countries with restrictive abortion laws. The decision came in response to a women's rights campaign seeking financial support for cross-border reproductive care.
BRUSSELS – European Union officials announced Thursday that member countries can utilize current EU social funding to provide cost-free pregnancy termination services for women who must travel from nations with restrictive reproductive healthcare laws.
The announcement from the European Commission came as a response to the “My Voice, My Choice” advocacy campaign, which had called for establishing a dedicated EU budget fund. The proposed fund would cover abortion procedure expenses for women from countries with nearly complete prohibitions like Malta and Poland, or nations where reproductive services remain difficult to obtain, including Italy and Croatia.
Though the Commission stopped short of establishing the new funding mechanism requested by advocates, officials indicated that member nations could voluntarily redirect resources from current EU social programs to ensure access to safe reproductive healthcare services.
The decision represents the EU executive body’s effort to address reproductive healthcare disparities across member states while working within existing financial frameworks.
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