Cross-Border Travel for Abortion Services
In Belgium, where abortion is only legal up to 12 weeks after conception, hundreds of women travel annually to the Netherlands for later-term abortions. The Netherlands permits abortions up to 22 weeks, offering Belgian women an option when their pregnancies surpass the legal limit at home.
Limited Access for Vulnerable Women
Each year, more than 300 Belgian women, including those facing financial difficulties, cross the border for later-term abortion services. The strict 12-week legal limit in Belgium, combined with a mandatory six-day reflection period, complicates access to timely care for many women.
Calls for Legal Reform in Belgium
Over 20 pro-abortion organizations in Belgium have highlighted the shortcomings of the country’s abortion laws. In addition to the short time window for legal abortions, the enforced reflection period further delays care. Advocates argue for extending the time limit and reevaluating the reflection period to better align with women’s needs.
Inflexibility of the Reflection Period
Frédéric Brichau, the coordinator of the Family Planning Centre in Namur, criticizes the mandatory six-day reflection period. He notes that many women have already made their decision long before contacting a clinic, and the forced delay often adds unnecessary stress rather than supporting thoughtful decision-making.
Abortion Laws Vary Across Europe
Belgium is not alone in its restrictive abortion laws. Legal limits across Europe vary, with countries like Portugal limiting abortions to 10 weeks, while the Netherlands allows abortions up to 24 weeks. Most European countries set the limit at 12 weeks, though some, like Spain and Austria, extend it to 14 weeks without mandatory reflection periods.
Economic Barriers to Abortion Access
The restrictive nature of Belgium’s abortion law disproportionately affects women without the financial means to travel. Lina Gálvez, chair of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, points out that wealthier women can afford to seek care abroad, while those with fewer resources face significant obstacles to exercising their reproductive rights.
Efforts to Promote Universal Abortion Rights
The European Parliament has made several non-binding efforts to promote universal access to safe abortion. The 2021 Matić Report urged member states to decriminalize abortion and recognize it as a fundamental right. Most recently, in April 2024, the Parliament approved the inclusion of abortion in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
Legal Challenges Remain
Despite these initiatives, abortion laws remain under the control of individual European states. While the European Parliament’s efforts reflect a growing consensus for universal access, the lack of binding legislation leaves women in countries like Belgium continuing to face legal and practical barriers to safe abortion care.
SOURCE: Ref Image from Euronews
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