European Commission says fund can pay for abortions for women from pro-life countries

In an announcement last week, the European Commission said that nations may use an existing fund to provide 'free' abortions to women from countries with abortion restrictions who are visiting nations with fewer abortion restrictions.

Key Takeaways:

• The European Commission has said that money from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) may be used to provide 'free' abortions to women who travel from nations with pro-life protections.

• The announcement was in response to a "My Voice My Choice" campaign, which sought the creation of a new, dedicated fund to pay for abortion travel.

• Though that new fund was not created, the campaign's coordinator, Nika Kovač, is hailing the latest announcement as a victory.

The Details:

The February 26 announcement from the European Commission stated that member nations may use money from an already-existing EU social fund to pay for women who live in nations with pro-life protections to access abortions free of charge in other nations.

EU says member states may use existing funds for abortion travel

As EuroNews explains, "Member states can make use of the bloc's existing European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), which contributes to social, education, employment and healthcare policies, voluntarily and in accordance with their domestic laws to provide such support."

The commission's announcement was in response to an initiative called "My Voice My Choice," a campaign which sought the establishment of a special fund particularly for abortion travel. Though the European Commission ultimately decided against creating a new fund, it nonetheless determined that the money from the pre-existing social fund could be used for abortion.

The Backstory:

In 2025, the group "My Voice My Choice,"  which has the backing of powerful pro-abortion organizations and philanthropists, presented the European Parliament with a citizens' initiative proposal that sought to create a voluntary, opt-in fund from the EU budget to pay for women in nations with protections for preborn children to travel to other nations to access abortion.

More than 1.2 million people signed the My Voice My Choice petition, which forced the EU Parliament to give it consideration. In December, members voted in favor of creating the abortion travel fund, though that vote was non-binding.

Is This A Good Use of Our Taxpayer Dollars?

What We're Hearing:

The announcement drew mixed reactions from those both for and against abortion; according to EuroNews, some pro-abortion advocates lamented that the commission stopped short of creating a dedicated abortion fund.

However, Nika Kovač, the coordinator of the "My Voice, My Choice" campaign, hailed the decision as a victory, saying:

“For the first time, the commission confirms unequivocally that EU funds can be used to guarantee access to safe abortion care ー particularly for women in vulnerable situations, regardless of where they come from in Europe. Today is a victory for women in Europe. This is not symbolic. It is a political commitment to women’s rights.”

Oliver Bault, director of communications at Ordo Iuris, a Polish pro-life group, said that the use of the fund for abortions undermines the ability of nations to make their own laws.

“Using the ‌European Social Fund, arguing that it can be used for healthcare purposes, means making a joke of Europeans’ national laws,” Bault said. “The purpose of this ⁠initiative and of the Commission is to use the European Social Fund to finance an EU-wide abortion tourism scheme.”

The Bottom Line:

All children in the womb deserve protection from abortion, regardless of the country they're in.