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

B100563/2025

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

(2025/3007(RSP))

The European Parliament,

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

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

–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 Programme of Action adopted at the 1994 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development,

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

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

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

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, 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 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;

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;

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;

3.Calls on the Commission to reject the ‘My Voice, My Choice’ initiative as incompatible with the limits of EU competences, the fundamental principles of subsidiarity and national sovereignty enshrined in the Treaties, and respect for the national legal frameworks of the Member States;

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