EU Opens Funds for Safe Abortion Access But Long-term Financing Remains Uncertain

March 8, 2026
Felix Sassmannshausen

In a landmark decision, the European Commission is allowing member states to utilize existing EU funds to finance access to safe abortions. This move represents a significant shift in European reproductive health, although it stops short of providing financial certainty for women seeking essential reproductive healthcare.

“Behind every unsafe abortion is a woman forced to risk her life because she has no safe alternative, no support, and no protection,” stated European Commissioner for Equality Hadja Lahbib following the decision last week.

Continued: https://healthpolicy-watch.news/eu-funds-for-safe-abortions/

08.03.2026

News

European Citizens’ Initiative

European Commission

European People’s Party

Women across EU celebrate approval of European Citizens Initiative on abortion rights

Friday, 27 February 2026
By Mose Apelblat

The European Commission gave a positive reply on Thursday to the initiative ‘My Voice, My Choice: For safe and accessible abortion’, which reached about 1.2 million verified signatures last year.

To be successful, a European Citizens' Initiative, which is the EU’s main instrument for participative democracy, must reach one million statements of support as well as minimum thresholds in at least seven Member States.

Continued: https://www.brusselstimes.com/1993475/european-women-celebrate-approval-of-european-citizens-initiative-on-abortion-rights

27.02.2026

News

abortion funding

European Citizens’ Initiative

European Commission

European Social Fund

Hadja Lahbib

My Voice My Choice campaign

Pressure mounts on Commission as 170 groups back EU abortion initiative

Commission faces 2 March deadline on ‘My Voice, My Choice’ initiative

Thomas Mangin, Euractiv
Feb 4, 2026

Pressure is mounting on the European Commission after 170 civil society organisations wrote to Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, urging her to follow up on the “My Voice My Choice” initiative, which aims to facilitate and safeguard access to abortion across the EU.

The signatories seek to push the European executive to establish a support fund for access to abortion, in line with the demands set out in the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative. The Commission must decide by 2 March whether it intends to give legal follow-up to this European Citizens’ Initiative, which gathered more than one million signatures in 2025.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/news/pressure-mounts-on-commission-as-170-groups-back-eu-abortion-initiative/

04.02.2026

News

European Citizens’ Initiative

European Commission

funding for abortion

Hadja Lahbib

My Voice My Choice campaign

Final push on abortion rights initiative ahead of Commission decision

Proposed EU fund would help women travel for abortion care

Thomas Mangin, Euractiv
January 29, 2026

With the clock ticking on a crucial Commission decision, the abortion rights initiative My Voice My Choice is mounting a final push to force EU action, as political battle lines harden in the European Parliament.

On 2 March, the European Commission must decide whether to give legal follow-up to the My Voice My Choice initiative, which seeks to improve and secure access to abortion across the EU.

“If the European Commission refuses, 20 million women will be left without access to safe abortion – left to die in hospital beds instead of receiving life-saving care. If they say yes, we will have won. Safe abortion will become a reality for everyone in the EU,” My Voice My Choice said in a statement.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/news/final-push-on-abortion-rights-initiative-ahead-of-commission-decision/

29.01.2026

News

Christine Anderson

European Citizens’ Initiative

Civic mobilisation for EU abortion initiative puts pressure on Commission

A European Citizens’ Initiative calling for EU action on abortion access will test the Commission's political radar

Xhoi Zajmi, Euractiv's Advocacy Lab
Jan 26, 2026

A European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) calling for safe and accessible abortion across the EU has secured strong backing from civil society, the Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), increasing pressure on the Commission as it prepares its formal response by early March.

At a recent debate at the EESC, organisers of the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ initiative presented the campaign as a response to widening disparities in women’s reproductive rights across the bloc, amid political backlash and uneven national access to care.

Continued: https://www.euractiv.com/news/civic-mobilisation-for-eu-abortion-initiative-puts-pressure-on-commission/

27.01.2026

News

Abir Al-Sahlani

European Citizens’ Initiative

European Commission

European Women’s Lobby

Irena Moozová

José Antonio Moreno Díaz

Mary Collins

Michel Chassang

My Voice My Choice campaign

European Citizens’ Initiative on abortion rights reaches milestone after hearing

Thursday 4 December 2025
By The Brussels Times Newsroom

The European Parliament hosted on Tuesday a hearing on the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “My Voice, My Choice” on safe and accessible abortion for all women in the EU.

At the heart of the initiative is a concrete proposal which respects that health is a national competency: A European financial mechanism that supports EU Member States in providing access to safe abortion care free of charge to women without access in their own country and does not interfere with national legislations.

Continued:; https://www.brusselstimes.com/1867634/pro-choice-european-citizens-initiative-holds-hearing-in-the-european-parliament

‘European Citizens’ Initiative on abortion rights real example of democracy in action’

Friday 31 October 2025
By Mose Apelblat

The European Commission has started to process the European Citizens’ Initiative 'My Voice, My Choice' on ensuring safe and accessible abortion in all EU, a Commission spokesperson confirmed on Friday.

As previously reported, the team campaigning for the Initiative met the Belgian Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, responsible for Emergency Crisis Management and Equality, a month ago. The team brought letters from EU citizens urging the Commission to propose legislation on financial support to Member States in providing safe abortion care for anyone in Europe who still lacks access to it.

Continued: https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/1820935/european-citizens-initiative-on-abortion-rights-real-example-of-democracy-in-action

31.10.2025

News

Emergency Crisis Management and Equality

European Citizens’ Initiative

European Commission

Hadja Lahbib

My Voice My Choice campaign

Abortion rights activists rally voters for EU election

Civil society groups are encouraging voters to stop a far-right surge.

MAY 24, 2024
BY CLAUDIA CHIAPPA

Activists behind a campaign calling for EU-wide abortion rights are urging people to vote against a far-right surge in the European Parliament.

Campaigners will gather Friday evening in Hénin-Beaumont, South of Lille in France, where National Rally leader Jordan Bardella and former leader Marine Le Pen are set to host a party meeting.

Continued: https://www.politico.eu/article/abortion-rights-activists-rally-voters-for-eu-election/

24.05.2024