Politics
Thursday February 13, 2003
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT VOTES TO FORCE EU NATIONS TO FUND ABORTIONS OVERSEAS
Even Malta and Poland must fund abortion when they become full EU members
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STRASBORUG, February 13, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The European Parliament voted today to adopt the Sandaeck report on development aid which compels all European Union nations to fund abortions in developing countries. Euro-fam, a pro-life group focused on the EU, reports that the Members of the European Parliament rejected (254-180) a pro-life amendment seeking to prevent abortion financing.
The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) in the UK reacted with disappointment and concern. John Smeaton, SPUC's national director, explained: "The Sandbęk report constitutes the blueprint for a new regulation to determine EU overseas aid policy over the next five years. It obliges the EU to provide financial assistance to promote 'the recognition of reproductive and sexual health and rights ... including ... universal access to a comprehensive range of safe and reliable reproductive and sexual health care and services'. The World Health Organization defines 'reproductive healthcare services' as including abortion.
"This means that the EU will fund abortions, and the main author of the report, Danish MEP Ulla Sandbęk, admitted as much when she told Ireland's Radio Kerry on 19 November 2002 that the new regulation would mean that abortions would be legally funded by the EU.
"EU regulations take precedence over the laws of member states, so all EU countries will now be obliged to fund abortions overseas through their EU contributions. This includes Ireland, which has a pro-life constitution, as well as the pro-life accession countries such as Malta and Poland when they become full EU members."
Mr Smeaton concluded: "The EU is becoming one of the foremost promoters of a pro-abortion culture around the world. Today's tragic vote demonstrated a disrespect for the unborn and disregard for the rights of individual nation states within Europe with pro-life laws".
The EU and UN policies contrast starkly with the U.S. Mexico City policy which prohibits any U.S. government funding for aid programs that provide abortion services.
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