As we mark another year of progress and challenges in the global struggle for reproductive rights, the European landscape offers both reasons for optimism and reminders of the work that remains ahead.
Across most of the continent, abortion is now legal and many countries are steadily dismantling harmful barriers to access, moving closer to international human rights standards and public health guidelines. Where highly restrictive laws remain, they stand as exceptions to the regional trend toward liberalisation.
At the same time, progress is uneven. Some states continue to impose harmful procedural and regulatory barriers—such as mandatory waiting periods, biased counselling, restrictive time limits, residual criminal penalties, and financial obstacles—that limit timely access to safe and good quality abortion care. In a handful of countries, governments have introduced new regressive measures, rolling back entitlements or creating fresh hurdles for women seeking care.
Europe Abortion Laws 2025: Policies, Progress and Challenges, published by our affiliate organization, the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), offers a comprehensive legal overview of abortion access in 49 European countries. It provides:
- A data-driven snapshot of abortion laws and policies across Europe
- An analysis of recent reforms and regressions
- A mapping of ongoing barriers that obstruct access to abortion care
- Recommendations for reform to advance reproductive rights and hold governments accountable
This timely resource is designed to support lawmakers, advocates, officials, and legal experts in advancing reproductive rights across the region. It highlights how far Europe has come in ensuring abortion access—and underscores the urgent reforms still needed to guarantee reproductive justice for all.
