PRESS RELEASE
Euthanasia supporters fail at the European Parliament!
The ONE OF US Federation invites citizens on March 12th to debate the drift towards euthanasia in Europe
Brussels, January 12th 2016
Last week, the first clear tentative to put forward the pro-euthanasia agenda in the European Parliament failed to collect enough support, missing the majority by a huge margin. A written declaration was signed by less than 13% of the Assembly, composed of 751 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs).
In October 2015, a group of 14 MEPs among which Sophia jn ‘t Veld (ALDE) and Maria Arena (S&D) (who publicly backed IPPF despite the fact its US affiliate Planned Parenthood faces serious charges of illegal trade of organs of aborted fetuses) proposed a written declaration on a so called “dignity at the end of life”. Written declarations are unbinding European Parliament’s instruments used by MEPs to express their concerns on a political issue falling within the EU’s competences. A written declaration needs to be backed by a majority of MEPs in order to be published in the plenary meeting minutes.
In their declaration, based on the flawed interpretation of subsidiarity and misleading concept of “protection and improvement of public health”, those MEPs called for euthanasia available on demand to ill persons, including for reasons of mental or psychological suffering. Even in countries with most liberal laws with regard to euthanasia though, this last point has stirred wide dissent among health experts, as a recent call by dozens of Belgian academics and doctors proved it in December. Since January 5th, the lapsed time to collect signatures by MEPs passed and the declaration will not be retained.
“It is a clear blow for the pro-euthanasia lobby and its supporters in Brussels”, declared Jaime Mayor Oreja, former Vice-President of the European Parliament and the President of the ONE OF US Federation. He goes on adding that “this only illustrates the reality and risks of a drift toward euthanasia throughout Europe, which constitutes one of the greatest threats against the rights to life and to authentic palliative care in Europe.”
The upcoming ONE OF US Forum on March 12th in Paris will thus address this issue of euthanasia and open the discussion during a session entitled Drift toward euthanasia in Europe, philosophical and cultural issues, political and legal deadlines. Health experts will share their experience with the audience, covering the most recent debates such as the controversy in Belgium around the right to freedom of conscience by individuals and private health institutions, or most extreme legislations allowing cases of euthanasia against minors or for mere psychological reasons.
The ONE OF US Forum will be the first of its kind event bringing together both international and European pro-life movements. It will gather 1,200 participants from all over Europe, as well as top European media, VIPs, & decision makers.
More information on the ONE OF US Forum and Federation is available in English and French on the websites oneofus.eu (English) and www.undenous.fr (French).
Contact: press@oneofusappeal.eu or by telephone at +33 1 86 26 62 64
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The ONE OF US European Federation for Life and Human Dignity is an international non-profit, non-political and non-denominational Federation legally registered under Belgian law. To date it is composed by 28 national and local member entities who participated in the collect of signatures during the One of Us European Citizens Initiative and provide care, counsel and advocacy free services to all throughout Europe.
