Recently, there has been a lot of talk about a new initiative in Europe called “My Voice, My Choice” which is trying to push for a “right to abortion” across Europe. However, abortion is not something that the European Union (EU) has control over; it is up to each individual country to decide their own laws about it. The European Commission, which is part of the EU, has agreed to look into this initiative, but many people, including a group called One of Us, believe this is wrong.
One of Us is a large group made up of 50 organizations from 19 European countries, and they argue that this new initiative is disrespectful to the voices and votes of European citizens. They believe it’s a big deal when a group tries to influence the law about something as personal as abortion without respecting the individual laws of each country.
The EU operates under something called the Lisbon Treaty, which lays out what powers each level of government has. This treaty makes it clear that abortion is not one of the areas where the EU can make rules; it is solely the responsibility of the individual countries. The European Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib, has also reinforced this point, stating that abortion remains a matter for each country to handle.
Despite this, the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative asks the EU to “do everything in its power” to make abortion safe and accessible for everyone. This is seen as an attempt to go beyond what the EU is allowed to do. The proposal suggests creating a way for citizens to sidestep their own country’s laws by traveling to another country where abortion may be legal and even seeking support for this.
Critics say this approach is sneaky and can undermine national laws. They argue that it would not be right for the EU to ignore or challenge the decisions made by each country about such a sensitive issue as protecting human life, which is a fundamental right.
On the other hand, supporters of the initiative claim that it is not trying to interfere with national laws but rather to support citizens who want to make different choices. However, many are concerned that this could lead to the EU overriding the laws that countries have established through their democratic processes.
While the initiative focuses on pushing for abortion rights, it is important to recognize that the EU should also be focused on protecting life from the moment of conception. There have been calls in the past, like from 1.7 million European citizens who supported the One Of Us initiative, asking the EU to stop funding activities that lead to the destruction of human embryos, especially in research and healthcare.
In conclusion, as this debate continues, it’s crucial for the EU to remember the wishes of the citizens who have already expressed their views on these matters. The conversation about reproductive rights in Europe is complex, and it is essential to respect the laws and choices made by individual countries.
This article has been translated and simplified by artificial intelligence from a French article “« My Voice, my Choice » : une initiative pour introduire un « droit à l’avortement » en Europe, en outrepassant les compétences de l’UE”
It may therefore contain errors. The French version is the reference version..