(LifeSiteNews) — Thirteen Italian members of European Parliament (MEPs), led by Paolo Inselvini and belonging to the Italian center-right party Fratelli d’Italia (FdI), have submitted a parliamentary question to the European Commission, chaired by Ursula von der Leyen, about the EU’s funding of the International Planned Parenthood Federation European Network (IPPF EN), the Brussels-based European branch of the world’s most powerful pro-abortion organization.
The questions raised a series of doubts and concerns about the transparency and actual destination of European funds, highlighting the risk that they may be used for activities contrary to the ethical principles of a significant portion of European citizens.
Officially submitted on February 11, the parliamentary question raises three main issues. First, the MEPs ask how the Commission intends ensure that European funds are not used for controversial or potentially illegal lobbying activities by the IPPF. Second, they ask whether thorough checks have been carried out on the use of allocated funds and what the results have been. Finally, the question asks whether the Commission is willing to suspend or review the funding allocated to the IPPF, considering repeated reports of irregularities.
According to available data, the European Union has been funding IPPF since at least 2005. In 2017, the then-European commissioner for international development and cooperation, Neven Mimica, announced during that year’s “SheDecides” conference in Brussels to raise funds aimed at promoting abortion in third world countries, that the EU would continue to fund non-governmental organizations and UN agencies engaged in birth control programs, such as such as the IPPF, UNICEF, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Between 2022 and 2025, IPPF received over three million euros to fund four projects through the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) program. These funds fall under the category of operating grants, intended for organizations active in promoting civil and social rights. However, these funds are being challenged as they are allocated to an organization known to carry out intense lobbying activities in favor of abortion, contraception, sex education, and the dissemination of gender ideology in schools and civil society.
Among the official objectives of the funding, it states that “IPPF EN works to advance and protect gender equality, women’s rights and SRHR (Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights) in the EU.” Moreover, the program includes the following points: “coalition and social movement building; changing narratives; regional and national advocacy; mainstreaming gender transformative sex and relationship education in and out of school settings; gender transformative care and outreach to most vulnerable; research and evidence-building.”
According to the MEPs who signed the question, these activities promote the widespread normalization of contraception, abortion, transsexualism, and other practices contrary to natural morality throughout Europe. They express concern over EU funding of these activities in light of growing opposition from various conservative and pro-family movements, which see such initiatives as an attempt to impose a uniform cultural vision far removed from Europe’s Christian roots.
The issue becomes even more delicate in light of an undercover investigation conducted in 2015, which revealed the involvement of IPPF executives in the sale of fetal tissues from late-term abortions. According to the material that emerged, in some cases fetuses were reportedly born alive before the tissue recovery procedure, raising serious ethical and legal questions.
In 2024, further videos emerged showing similar conversations among senior officials of the organization. Finally, in 2025, an IPPF chapter in Florida was accused of violating tax laws by offering workspace to the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz presidential campaign. This scandal, although primarily emerging in the United States, has also echoed in Europe, further questioning the appropriateness of allocating public funds to an entity repeatedly involved in controversial practices.
The European Commission now has a maximum of 60 days to respond to the question. The matter is being closely followed by conservative and pro-life circles, particularly in Italy. The outcome of this question could have significant repercussions for the European political debate, raising broader questions about the role of community institutions in funding organizations whose operations promote abortion, contraception, and gender ideology.