French Greens urge Commission to stop destruction of USAID-funded contraceptives
In a letter this week, the French Greens, led by MEP Mélissa Camara, called on the Commission to urgently launch a "joint diplomatic initiative" to push for the suspension of the planned destruction of the unused contraceptives. These are currently held in Geel and scheduled for transport to a waste facility in Fos-sur-Mer, France.
The Trump administration, which dismantled the US Agency for International Development (USAID) earlier this year, has reportedly ordered the destruction of still-usable USAID contraceptives.
'This decision is outrageously scandalous, inhumane, and absurd,' Camara told Euractiv.
The letter, addressed to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioners Oliver Várhelyi (Health), Jozef Síkela (International Partnerships) and Hadja Lahbib (Equality), urges the EU to mediate with NGOs willing to deliver the products to countries in need.
Several NGOs have reportedly offered to purchase the stock in recent weeks, but no agreement has been reached. The US administration appears prepared to proceed with the destruction, which is estimated to cost €150,000, rather than approve resale or donation.
The MEPs also issued a broader appeal for "explicit political support for humanitarian organisations ready to redistribute these contraceptives," despite strained relations between the Commission and NGOs following recent funding cuts.
'The European Union sees itself as a leading defender of sexual and reproductive health. We cannot allow Donald Trump's anti-choice agenda to unfold,' said Camara.
The lawmakers also requested that the Commission's legal services assess the legality of destroying medical goods on EU soil under EU legislation, citing the bloc's commitments to sustainable development and gender equality.
'The European Union cannot become complicit, even indirectly, in regressive policies, nor can it tolerate the destruction of vital medical resources that could save lives,' the letter concluded.
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