In a written answer on 18 June 2026, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, on behalf of the European Commission, outlined existing and planned EU funding mechanisms that Member States can use to support access to infertility treatments, while reiterating that health policy remains a national competence. The reply came in response to a priority question from Romanian S&D MEP Gabriela Firea, who had highlighted the EU's declining fertility rate—from 1.51 children per woman in 2020 to around 1.34 in 2024—and unequal access to reproductive health services.
Várhelyi's answer points to several EU funds already available. The European Social Fund+ can support access to infertility treatments for persons in vulnerable situations, subject to national rules, while the European Regional Development Fund can finance health infrastructure and equipment. The EU4Health programme has funded actions on sexually transmitted infections—a major cause of infertility—and on the safety and efficacy of assisted reproduction therapies. Horizon Europe's Cluster 1 'Health' offers grants for collaborative projects that may include infertility research. For the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034, the proposed European Competitiveness Fund includes a Health, Biotech, Agriculture and Bioeconomy window that would allow prioritising health promotion and disease prevention, including reproductive health.
The answer is largely declarative, listing existing instruments rather than announcing new commitments or targets. It underscores the Commission's view that Member States hold primary responsibility for health policy, while the EU can provide financial support through shared management programmes. No specific timeline or additional budget for infertility treatments was proposed. The reply signals that future EU funding under the Competitiveness Fund could be used for reproductive health, but concrete decisions will depend on the MFF negotiations and national implementation choices.