{"id":35902,"date":"2021-06-22T15:05:36","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T19:05:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/on-eve-of-eu-vote-on-abortion-bishops-decry-3-errors-in-resolution\/"},"modified":"2021-06-22T15:05:36","modified_gmt":"2021-06-22T19:05:36","slug":"on-eve-of-eu-vote-on-abortion-bishops-decry-3-errors-in-resolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.worldcatholicnews.com\/on-eve-of-eu-vote-on-abortion-bishops-decry-3-errors-in-resolution\/","title":{"rendered":"On eve of EU vote on abortion, bishops decry 3 errors in resolution"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Abortion isn’t an “essential health service” nor a “human right.”<\/h2>\n

The European Parliament is expected to vote a controversial report referring to abortion an \u201cessential health service\u201d and a \u201chuman right\u201d on Wednesday this week<\/strong>. Presented by the Croatian MEP Predrag Fred Mati\u0107 and titled: \u201cThe situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the framework of women\u2019s health,\u201d the report has spurred critical reactions from the European bishops.<\/p>\n

On June 17 the Secretariat of the Commission of the Bishops\u2019 Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) released a\u00a0Position Paper. While welcoming the \u201cfundamental concern\u201d to \u201cprotect the health and rights of women,\u201d it expresses objections to the representations and arguments made in the draft resolution \u2013 also known as the \u2018Mati\u0107 Report.\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n

A one-sided perspective on abortion<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The document calls attention on three critical points. <\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Abortion is not a human right<\/li>\n
  2. Right to conscientious objection is denied<\/li>\n
  3. Violation of member states\u2019 rights<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The first\u00a0 point is the \u201cone-sided perspective\u201d of the Report \u201cparticularly on the issue of abortion,\u201d which \u201cdoes not take full account of the life situations of the persons concerned and of their corresponding human rights.\u201d According to COMECE, the qualification of abortion as an \u201cessential health service that should be available to all is \u201cethically untenable.\u201d <\/p>\n

    There is no \u2018human right to abortion\u2019 in international treaties<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The draft resolution \u201cpresents the \u2018health service\u2019 of abortion as a human right, so that Member States comply with their obligations under international human rights treaties when they ensure its provision.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

    But \u201cthis is not the case\u201d:<\/strong> \u201cThere is no international human rights, or other international treaty, that provides for such a general \u2018human right to abortion\u2019 or a corresponding obligation of States,\u201d the European bishops point out.<\/p>\n

    Conscientious objection denied\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Secondly, COMECE notes \u201cwith concern and regret\u201d that the \u2018Mati\u0107 Report\u2019\u00a0 denies \u201cthe fundamental right to conscientious objection,\u201d<\/strong> which is \u201can emanation of freedom of conscience\u201d enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.<\/p>\n

    Violation of the EU principle of subsidiarity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Finally, the statement remarks that the draft resolution violates the EU principle of subsidiarity as it \u201cdisregards the responsibility of the Member States to define their health policy and the organisation and delivery of health services and medical care.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The need for lawful and ethical balancing\u00a0of all rights<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    The Commission therefore calls on all MEPs to duly consider \u201cthe sensitivity and complexity of medical accompaniment,\u201d which \u201crequires a lawful and ethical balancing of all rights involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

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