The european Parliament once again condemns surrogate motherhood
During the adoption process of the 2025 Resolution on the strategy for equality between men and women, the European Parliament, on 13th November, once again condemned the practice of surrogate motherhood.
Firm condemnation of surrogate motherhood
Article 14 of the Resolution establishes that the European Parliament “condemns the practice of surrogate motherhood, which consists in exploiting the body and reproductive functions of women, and in particular the most vulnerable women in foreign lands, for financial or other gains.” This condemnation is in line with the directive against human trafficking in which the Parliament in March 2024 added the criminalization of the exploitation of surrogate motherhood.
Moreover, the majority of MEPs “call for the Commission to take measures to put an end to the phenomenon.” This commitment represents a major milestone in the fight for the worldwide prohibition of surrogate motherhood, as recommended in the United Nations report, presented in September 2025 in New York by Reem Alsalem, the special reporter on violence against women and girls.
Thwarting the trap of ethical surrogate motherhood
Speaking at a conference held at the European Parliament on 20th November 2025 at the initiative of the ECR group (Conservatives and reformists), the reporter was appreciative of the result of the vote, as were the politicians, the specialists and the associations present. The Italian Minister for Families recalled the commitment by her State to abolish all forms of surrogate motherhood.
Caroline Roux, the International Director for Alliance VITA contributed with others at the occasion to recall the importance of clarifying the fact that there is no such thing as “ethical or altruist surrogate motherhood.”
“The trap resides in the largely false opposition between altruist and commercial surrogate motherhood: it is a trap which reduces and encloses the moral consideration of surrogate motherhood to one of its aspects, even if particularly serious, the financial aspect. As a result, the problem with surrogate motherhood, is the situation of the child and the mother who bears it. Moreover, the consequences on filiation are no less serious if the child is borne “free of charge” by a person within the family circle (a sister, a friend, an aunt, a grand-mother): the emotional pressures and confusions are even worse. (…). In the name of individual desires, one must never abdicate the dignity of women and children.”
Countering the diverted pressures for surrogate motherhood
On 14th December 2023 the European Parliament voted in favour of a draft ruling initiated by the European Commission for the recognition of filiation certificates between European Union member states. Highly controversial, this European filiation certificate could recognise surrogate motherhood. The final decision rests with the European Council where votes have to be unanimous. The measure should therefore never come to pass, since several states oppose it.
Further reading :
- Surrogate motherhood: The UN calls for a worldwide abolition
- The European Parliament confirms surrogate motherhood as a practice amounting to human trafficking
- Surrogate motherhood: women “concerned” provide testimonies to the French Senate
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