EU headed for abortion approval mandate?

The European parliament's development committee adopted the pro-abortion Sandbaek report this afternoon almost unanimously. In order for the full parliament to be allowed a debate on the report and to pass amendments, it was necessary for only four of the 63 committee members to vote against the report. However, in the event only two members voted against. Others abstained or were absent at the time of the vote. This means that MEPs will only be able to vote on the entire report next month.

John Smeaton, national director of SPUC, commented: "On account of the fact that EU regulations take precedence over national law, all EU member states 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. We are deeply concerned by this development because abortion law is not within the competence of the European Union, but a pro-abortion agenda is being pushed through without proper democratic scrutiny or informed debate." European pro-lifers are being urged to ask their MEPs to vote against the report in its entirety when it comes before the full parliament next month, and to contact their national governments to urge ministers to do all they can within the decision-making framework of the EU, particularly in the council of ministers, to amend the regulation.

[Euro-Fam and SPUC, 21 January] [Links to web-based sources are on the web-version of this email. Such emails are listed at www.spuc.org.uk/news. This bulletin is privately circulated by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children, 5-6 St Matthew Street, London, United Kingdom, SW1P 2JT, +44 20 7222 5845. The reliability of the news herein depends on that of the cited sources, which are paraphrased rather than quoted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the society.]