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News Abortion
Belgium – Proposed liberalisation of abortion laws: 12, 14 or 18 weeks – a scientific question or an ethical choice?
The Belgian Minister for Justice, Annelies Verlinden (CD&V), announced in early June that a bill would shortly be tabled to substantially amend the current legislation on abortion. The bill proposes, in particular, to extend the legal time limit for voluntary termination of pregnancy from 12 to 14 weeks of pregnancy,...
News Surrogacy
Surrogacy: between freedom-restricting contracts and eugenic abortions
The issue of regulating surrogacy continues to be a subject of debate across Europe, and particularly in Belgium. Regulating a practice that involves, on the one hand, the provision of a person – the surrogate mother –...
News Abortion
Criminalisation of abortion prior to 1990 in Belgium: towards recognition of ‘harm’?
The Belgian Federal Parliament is currently considering a draft resolution aimed at recognising the harm suffered by individuals convicted under criminal provisions criminalising abortion prior to its partial...
News Abortion
In the Netherlands, the abortion pill is available on request via an online platform
The website thuisabortus.nl was launched in March 2026 under the leadership of GP and sexologist Peter Leusink. He heads a team currently comprising nine doctors and a midwife, who respond online to requests for...
News Fertility and Pregnancy
The First 1,000 Days Campaign: where does humanity begin?
“Protecting children from endocrine disruptors during their first 1,000 days”: this is the aim of theprevention campaign launched on 1 April 2026 by the Belgian Federal Public Service (FPS) for Public Health, in collaboration with the Regions and Communities. This campaign aims to raise awareness among parents of young children...
News Abortion
My Voice My Choice: Has the European Commission decided to fund cross-border abortions within the EU?
On 26 February, the European Commission issued its official response to the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) My Voice My Choice (MVMC). This stance was eagerly awaited, given that the initiative raised sensitive...
News Surrogacy
The Hague Conference: another setback for the international recognition of surrogacy
TThe Hague Conference has abandoned the draft protocol setting out the conditions under which states should recognise parent-child relationships arising from cross-border surrogacy. This was announced by the...
News Fertility and Pregnancy
Perinatal bereavement – Belgium: towards the possibility of burial for all stillborn foetuses, regardless of gestational age?
In its Opinion No. 90 published at the end of 2025, the Belgian Bioethics Advisory Committee examined the ‘Funeral destination of foetuses that are stillborn at an early gestational age’. Among its recommendations is...
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All the news
Bereavement leave in the event of euthanasia: will it be possible to change one’s mind?
Belgium – Proposed liberalisation of abortion laws: 12, 14 or 18 weeks – a scientific question or an ethical choice?
Belgium: care for people with disabilities under scrutiny from the UN
Alberta (Canada): a setback for the expansion of euthanasia?
Surrogacy: between freedom-restricting contracts and eugenic abortions
Euthanasia in cases of advanced dementia: a further extension of Belgian law?
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