A cross party group of members of the European Parliament have tabled questions to the European Commission about EU funds being used for an anti-abortion campaign in Hungary. Dutch Liberal Sophie in ‘t Veld, who took the initiative says: “EU funds are earmarked for the promotion of gender equality and the EU social agenda, not for pushing a conservative anti-abortion agenda. The European Parliament consistently advocates high level sexual and reproductive health services for women and their partners accross Europe”.
Signatories: Sophie in ‘t Veld (ALDE), Jean-Marie Cavada (EPP), Joanna Senyszyn (S&D), Raül Romeva I Rueda (Greens/EFA), Michael Cashman (S&D), Rui Tavares (GUE/NGL), Renate Weber (ALDE), Norbert Neuser (S&D), Françoise Castex (S&D), Dennis de Jong (GUE/NGL), Ulrike Lunacek (Greens), Antonyia Parvanova (ALDE), Sirpa Pletikäinen (EPP), Jean Lambert (Greens).
Please find the Parliamentary Question below:
On the 4th of May 2011, the Hungarian Junior Minister of Social Policy Mr Miklos Soltesz, announced a nation-wide campaign: “Balance in the family + balance at work = balance in the world”. Part of this campaign will focus on discouraging abortion; this particular ad campaign shows a foetus and displays the slogan “I understand if you are not ready for me … but please put me up for adoption, LET ME LIVE”.(http://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2011/05/05/hungary%E2%80%99s-government-to-launch-anti-abortion-campaign/?mod=google_news_blog).
In an official statement, the Hungarian government declared that the awareness-raising campaigns are largely funded from the European Union PROGRESS fund (http://www.kormany.hu/hu/nemzeti-eroforras-miniszterium/szocialis-csaladi-es-ifjusagugyert-felelos-allamtitkarsag/hirek/eselyegyenloseg-a-csaladokert).
Is the Commission aware of the fact that its PROGRESS funds, designed to support the implementation of the European Union social agenda, are being used to finance an anti-abortion campaign? If so, can the Commission confirm that the grant is being given under the heading ‘improvement of gender mainstreaming in national policies and programmes (VP2010/009)’, and explain how this campaign supports the EU policy of promoting gender equality and non-discrimination?
If not, can the Commission explain how the procedure for supervising the implementation of the funds is structured?
