A non-binding motion targeting EU funding of religious groups that provide health care services in Africa but are pro-life in ethos has been passed by the 
European Parliament.
A bid to delete the motion was led by Dublin Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell, but was defeated.
The motion expresses concern that “private organisations receiving European funding and providing health care services for African populations may, under the influence of religious movements, restrict certain types of reproductive health care and preventive treatment”.
The amendment to the motion, sponsored by Mr Mitchell and Filip Kaczmarek, a Polish MEP with the Civic Platform party called on this provision to be removed.
However, almost half the European People’s Party delegation, which tends to take a more favourable line on religion, was not present for the vote.
The motion, a draft report on health care systems in sub-Saharan Africa and global health presented by Belgian Socialist MEP Véronique De Keyser, called on the European Commission “to ensure that European policies on reproductive health are properly promoted among all associations receiving European funds”
The motion also called on the Commission to recognise that women “have the right to exercise full control over matters relating to their reproductive health, as regards procreation, contraception, abortion or sexually transmitted diseases”.
The European Union has repeatedly claimed that abortion policy is not a competence of EU law, and is a matter for Member States. However, the EU does fund abortion providers in the developing world.