The European Christian Political Party (ECPP) expresses deep concern and disappointment over the adoption of the European Parliament resolution on the European Citizens’ Initiative “My Voice, My Choice”, which calls on the European Union to create funding mechanisms for “legal abortion care” for women in EU Member States.
The “My Voice, My Choice” initiative is a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI)
The “My Voice, My Choice” initiative is a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). An ECI is a mechanism that allows European citizens to request the European Commission to initiate legislation. To be considered, an initiative must collect more than one million signatures. The “My Voice, My Choice” initiative calls on the EU to ensure access to safe abortion care for all women in Europe by creating a dedicated EU funding mechanism for this purpose.
ECPP firmly opposes the initiative and any EU interference in abortion-related matters, as it raises serious legal and institutional concerns. Creating an EU-level financial mechanism to finance abortions amounts to de facto harmonisation in a policy field where Member States retain full autonomy, thereby clearly contradicting the principle of subsidiarity enshrined in Article 5(3) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). Moreover, Article 6 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) defines the EU’s role in health and family matters as limited to supporting, coordinating, or supplementing national action. It also explicitly states that the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care are the responsibility of the Member States (Article 168(7) TFEU). Consequently, the EU cannot legislate, finance, or create mechanisms that would override or circumvent national health laws and ethical frameworks.
ECPP President Valeriu Ghileţchi stated:
“This vote sets a dangerous precedent of EU interference in moral, ethical, and family matters reserved to national Member States. It erodes the subsidiarity balance that safeguards democratic legitimacy within the Union.”
A group of MEPs from the EPP and ECR political groups tabled an alternative resolution rejecting the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative. This alternative text underlined the clear division of competences set out in the EU Treaties and stressed that there is no need for new EU action or legislative proposals on this matter. ECPP MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen was one of its supporters. Unfortunately, the alternative resolution was rejected by the EP
After the adoption of the resolution in favour of the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative, MEP Ruissen reacted:
“Unborn life deserves protection. It is painful to see that the majority of the European Parliament does not recognise this. Despite this appeal from the European Parliament, the fact remains that the EU has no competence over abortion.”
MEP Ruissen has been very vocal about the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative. During yesterday’s plenary debate, he emphasised that abortion is not an EU competence and warned against framing abortion-related services as “care,” stating that abortion ends a human life. Rather than facilitating abortion services, societies should offer support for both mother and child. He highlighted the responsibility toward the unborn: “We, as a society, have a responsibility to protect the God-given unborn life, and we cannot dispose of it freely.”
It remains to be seen how the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative will proceed. ECPP calls upon the European Commission to not initiate any new legislation on health and reproductive care and upon Council to reject any proposal should one be initiated.
ECPP recognises the dignity of human life at all stages, from conception until natural death. Unborn children are members of the human family and have the right to life. We advocate for strong support for expectant mothers and families in need. The EU should respect the principle of subsidiarity and division of competences as stipulated in the Treaties.
