Controversial report voted by the EP
On Thursday, 24 June 2021, the European Parliament voted on the Report on the situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU in the frame of women's health (also called the Matic Report, after the name of the rapporteur, Croatian MEP Predrag Fred Matic). 378 MEPs voted "For", 255 voted "Against", while 42 others abstained.
The Report has already stirred controversy while being debated within the FEMM Committee in the European Parliament. Many civil society representatives pointed to the stark contrast between the noble general intention of the report and the many controversial issues that fall outside the EU's areas of competence: the promotion of abortion, criticism of the right of health professionals to invoke conscientious objection, the promotion of sex education in schools for all children, starting in primary education, or the promotion of gender ideology.
In stark contrast to the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, which clearly stipulates that areas such as health and education fall exclusively within the competence of the Member States, the Matic Report seeks to create the impression of a global consensus on topics which, in reality, remain extremely sensitive within the family of EU Member States.
The Representation of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the European Institutions notes with regret this result, a sign of an increasing trend to replace, at European level, a genuine policy of promoting the fundamental rights of citizens - such as the right to life, freedom of conscience or parental rights - with shocking ideologies that ignore real needs and problems, while amplifying the rifts between people, cultures and states in today's Europe.
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