Slovenian-led abortion access initiative pushes EU funding debate forward

My Voice, My Choice, a Slovenian-led EU-wide campaign for safe and accessible abortion, scored a limited victory after the European Commission refused to set up a special financial mechanism to expand abortion access in Europe but told member states they could use an existing fund to help women pay for abortion services.

An EU citizens' initiative that collected 1.2 million signatures, My Voice, My Choice had called on the EU to establish a voluntary financial mechanism to help countries provide abortion care to women who can't access it in their own country and who choose to travel to a member state where they can get an abortion, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

The Commission said that it was "not necessary to propose a new legal instrument" because countries could use the European Social Fund plus to provide such support while granting member states the autonomy to determine how and under what conditions access to safe and legal abortion will be provided.

Slovenian activist Nika Kovač, as head of the 8 March Institute the leader of the campaign, described the decision as "a victory for women in Europe" that confirmed women's rights were important to the bloc and that "the EU cannot look away".

We expressed our disappointment that no promise of new allocation of financial resources was made at this time and urged the Commission to support additional dedicated funding in the future. But she also expressed dismay about the absence of new funding.

"We have expressed disappointment about there not being a pledge about the allocation of financial resources," she said in her first reaction to the decision.

Kovač called on the Commission to support additional funding for safe and accessible abortion in the future, provide member states with clear guidance on how to use EU funds to deliver abortion care, and establish an information platform for patients.

"The door is now open. Member states have been given a pathway to use EU funds to ensure access to safe and legal abortion services for those still denied this fundamental right. It is now up to member states to use the path that has been created," she said.

Marta Kos, Slovenia's EU commissioner for enlargement, said the decision gave member states a concrete opportunity to translate their support into actions by leveraging these funds. She sees the Commission's decision as "a new step in our fight to protect women's rights".