The European Christian Political Party (ECPP) is disappointed by the European Commission’s response to the “My Voice, My Choice” European Citizens’ Initiative. While refraining from creating a dedicated EU abortion fund, the Commission has indicated that the existing European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) may be used to support abortion services.
ECPP President Valeriu Ghilețchi:
“Abortion is not a competence of the European Union. By opening the door to the use of existing EU funds for abortion services, the Commission is stretching its mandate and disregarding the clear division of competences laid down in the Treaties. This is deeply disappointing.”
The Commission’s announcement follows the European Parliament’s adoption, in December 2025, of a resolution supporting the demands of the European Citizens’ Initiative “My Voice, My Choice,” which aims to ensure access to abortion care across all EU Member States by establishing an EU funding mechanism. The initiative’s demands amount, de facto, to the harmonisation of abortion policy — a field that falls within the exclusive competence of the Member States — thereby undermining the principle of subsidiarity and challenging the limits set by the EU Treaties. At the time, ECPP President Valeriu Ghilețchi described the resolution as “a dangerous precedent of EU interference in moral, ethical, and family matters reserved to the Member States. It erodes the subsidiarity balance that safeguards democratic legitimacy within the Union.”
In its response to the Initiative, the European Commission stated that Member States may use the existing European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) to support access to abortion services. The ESF+ is primarily designed to support employment, social inclusion, education, and skills policies. ECPP considers the use of these funds for abortion services to be inconsistent with the original purpose of the programme and fears that it will take away funds from much needed social inclusion and employment projects.
ECPP MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen:
“I find this approach by the Commission highly questionable. The ESF+ was not intended to finance abortion services. The Commission is once again pushing the boundaries of its authority. Rather than choosing to end life, we must stand with pregnant women in difficult situations and support them. Life is God-given, and we have a responsibility to protect it.”
ECPP affirms the dignity of every human being at all stages, from conception until natural death. Unborn children are members of the human family and have the right to life. We advocate strong support for expectant mothers and families in need. We recall that the European Union must respect the principle of subsidiarity and the clear division of competences as established in the Treaties.
Photo © European Union, 2025
