Subject: Trial of women for illegal abortion in Portugal

In the town of Aveiro in Portugal, a trial is being held of women who have undergone termination of pregnancy. Despite the appeals and resolutions of the European Parliament calling on the governments of the Member States to refrain under any circumstances from prosecuting women who have had an illegal abortion, Portugal continues to enforce its criminal legislation prohibiting abortion, which is not consistent with the fundamental rights of women.

Given the differences in sexual and reproductive health and related rights in the EU and within the Member States and, in particular, the enormous disparities among Europeans in terms of access to reproductive health services, contraception and voluntary termination of pregnancy, and in view of the fact that women and men should be free to take their own responsible decisions about their sexual and reproductive health and rights, what measures will the Commission take to decriminalise abortion in the EU so that women are not brought to trial for matters relating to their physical and mental integrity?