On 26 February, the European Commission adopted a Communication replying to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) ‘My Voice My Choice: For Safe and Accessible Abortion’. This is the twelfth initiative to receive a formal Commission reply since the launch of European Citizens’ Initiatives (ECIs) in 2012.
According to the World Health Organisation, around 483,000 unsafe abortions take place in Europe each year. Unsafe abortion is a matter of public health, as it can lead to various forms of physical harm and severe mental stress and thus put the lives of women at risk.
“Behind every unsafe abortion is a woman forced to risk her life because she has no safe option. No support. No protection. ‘My Voice, My Choice’ has given a voice to over one million people who refuse to accept that reality. They are asking for safe, accessible healthcare, especially for women in the most vulnerable situations. We are answering that call to strengthen women’s health and rights across Europe, including their sexual and reproductive health and rights. Safety and freedom must never depend on your postcode or your income. This is the Europe of equality we want to live in,” underscored Hadja Lahbib, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management.
The EU can assist Member States with public health while respecting their authority over health policy and services. The Commission emphasises that Member States can utilise existing EU instruments to improve access to legally available and affordable healthcare services, including safe abortion services.
Support can be provided through the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) programme if Member States choose to do so within their national laws. This includes reallocating ESF+ resources to enhance access to safe and legal abortion services for pregnant women.
The ESF+ allows Member States to maintain control over how and under what conditions abortion services are provided. Since current instruments enable quick support, there is no need for a new legal framework. The Commission has reiterated that Member States can leverage their ESF+ funding to support access to abortion services and may need to amend their programmes to include this action.
“Providing quality and affordable healthcare to women is about respecting their rights and basic dignity. It is in that vein that we reply to ‘My Voice, My Choice’ today. We wish that every woman could live confidently and freely. This is what Member States can commit to, with EU support. Our Union is strongest when we support women and ensure safety, equality, and good health for all,” stated Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Preparedness.
The ECI was introduced with the Lisbon Treaty as a tool for citizens to influence the EU agenda. It was officially launched in April 2012. Once registered, an ECI allows one million citizens from at least 7 EU Member States to invite the Commission to propose legal action in areas within its competence. Once an initiative has been submitted, the Commission has six months to issue a formal response.
Since its introduction, the Commission has registered 127 initiatives, of which 14 have collected one million signatures and been submitted to the Commission for examination. With over 1.1 million signatures collected across the EU, the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative was submitted to the Commission for examination on 1 September 2025. It called on the Commission to provide financial support to Member States that would be able to perform safe termination of pregnancies, in accordance with their domestic law, for anyone in Europe who still lacks access to safe and legal abortion.
