EU funds cleared to back cross-border abortion access

The European Commission said EU funds from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) can be used to improve access to safe and legal abortions for women who cannot obtain them in their home country, in response to the My Voice, My Choice citizens’ initiative which gathered over 1.1 million signatures. Member states may voluntarily use ESF+ to help with travel, access to services at home, or care for those lacking means. No new legal instrument was created; the Commission outlined a concrete pathway to implement the initiative using existing funds. The move comes amid continued variation in abortion laws across the EU, and Parliament had urged a dedicated financing mechanism, which the Commission did not establish.