Matić report: the EP is infringing on national competences

The EU has no competence to regulate sexual health and education, reproduction and abortion, yet the recently adopted EP report would bring that under EU control.

EP Plenary session - The situation of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU, in the frame of women’s health Fotó: Philippe BUISSIN

As our paper reported, the European Parliament (EP) passed Matić report on Thursday with a slight majority; the report is on the state of sexual and reproductive health and rights in the EU. The near 40-page document has stirred up emotions on the conservative side of the institution, as it refers to abortion as a fundamental right and it would ensure comprehensive and unbiased sex education to primary school students – violating the parents’ right to choose the education of their children.

The biggest concern however is that these territories are national competencies: the EU has no competence to regulate sexual health and education, reproduction and abortion, yet the recently adopted EP report would bring that under EU control.

“We have characteristic policies in Hungary that prioritize our future, this report contradicts the Hungarian Constitution. This is not only the case in Hungary – the report completely ignores the diverse constitutional and moral traditions of all the EU countries. It is a serious violation of national competencies,” György Hölvényi told Magyar Nemzet. According to the KDNP (Christian Democratic People’s Party) MEP, it is particularly damaging for the EP to spark an ideological debate during the coronavirus epidemic that divides European society. He expressed that in the European Parliament, he himself voted against the Matić report and in favor of national competencies.

(Predrag Fred Matić. Photo: EP)

The Fidesz EP delegation, one of the largest, criticized the report following the vote: “the European left is once again ignoring the EU treaties.” According to their statement, they firmly reject any political attempt to go beyond the powers granted to the EP by the EU Treaties.

The author of the report, the Croatian leftist MEP, announced the results of the vote with a “We did it!”. “Everyone needs access to contraception, abortion, fertility treatments, and other health services under the auspices of the EU flag,” wrote Predrag Fred Matić.