European bishops praise EU rejection of taxpayer-funded abortion proposal, urging real social and health support for vulnerable women.
Newsroom (05/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Catholic Church in Europe has reaffirmed its unwavering moral stance against abortion following the European Commission’s rejection of the “My Voice, My Choice” initiative, which sought to create a taxpayer-funded mechanism promoting abortion access across the continent.
In a statement issued on March 4, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) expressed strong approval for the decision, interpreting it as an acknowledgment of the European Union’s legal and ethical boundaries. COMECE’s presidency noted that the rejection “clearly recognizes the need to respect the limits of EU competences and to uphold the principle of subsidiarity,” a cornerstone principle ensuring national sovereignty on sensitive moral issues.
The bishops emphasized that abortion remains, in the Church’s view, “gravely contrary to the moral law.” They reiterated the belief that women should never feel compelled to terminate a pregnancy due to “social or economic pressure.” Instead, the Church calls for meaningful assistance in areas such as healthcare, social inclusion, and economic stability—measures that empower women to welcome motherhood without fear of hardship.
Upholding Human Dignity in European Policy
Citing the Church’s “constant teaching,” the bishops underscored that scientific research increasingly validates the view that “from fertilization, a new human being comes into existence, endowed with inherent dignity and deserving of fundamental protection.” They warned that certain EU policy directions may undermine the right to life by indirectly promoting or subsidizing abortion-related services through existing funds intended to prevent poverty.
COMECE voiced “serious concern” over what it described as the European Commission’s tendency to repurpose funds meant for social protection, allowing them to cover “cross-border access to legally available, safe, and affordable abortion services.” Such measures, the bishops argued, risk “creating political friction rather than strengthening cohesion.”
A Call for Real Assistance to Women
For Europe to remain faithful to its foundational principles of human dignity, solidarity, and equality, the bishops urged policymakers to prioritize concrete support structures for women facing difficulties during pregnancy. “Women must be genuinely helped to welcome motherhood,” the statement stressed, underscoring the need for practical aid rather than ideological measures.
They continued by calling for the development of family-oriented policies that promote social inclusion, provide economic relief, and ensure that no woman feels isolated or forced into choosing abortion for financial or social reasons. Issues touching on the fundamental right to life and the dignity of the human person, the bishops warned, must “never be instrumentalized in political debate or exploited for ideological purposes.”
By welcoming the EU’s rejection of the abortion funding initiative, the European bishops have reinforced a vision of a Europe that safeguards life, invests in families, and provides genuine compassion and material support to mothers in need.
- Raju Hasmukh with files form CNA
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