European Commission confirms EU has no competence on abortion policy

During a recent debate at the plenary session of the European Parliament, the European Commission confirmed that the EU has no competence in the areas of abortion and sex education, and that it cannot interfere with the policies adopted by Member States on these issues.

The debate comes shortly after a controversial resolution on “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights” was rejected by the European Parliament in December.  

As well as seeking to establish a right to abortion, the resolution went further in attacking the right to conscientious objection and the rights of parents, and called on the European Union to fund abortion in its Foreign and Development Aid Policy. 

In a debate this month, the European Commission reaffirmed the position adopted by the European Parliament, namely that the issue of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights was the sole responsibility of Member States and that "there exists no right to abortion under international law”.  

Several groups of the European Parliament indicated that the debate was organised to put pressure on the Spanish Government, which has proposed to introduce tough new laws to restrict access to abortion. 

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