JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND FAMILY LAW

This article discusses the impact of dismantling borders within the European Community on national abortion laws. It shows that while local laws regulating abortion are viewed as unrelated to the economic harmonization of Europe, two incidents highlight the difficulty of separating economic activity from reproductive practices. One is the story of a German woman charged with extraterritorial abortion after being subjected to an involuntary medical exam. The other incident is the case of SPUC v.

Although not explicitly concerned with gender, the free movement of persons constitutes one of the four "fundamental freedoms" associated with the EC. The extension of a framework of social rights under these provisions has been said to mark a trend towards the realization of European citizenship. These rights have been consolidated and extended into the political sphere with the ratification of the Treaty on European Union. Community nationals now have the legal status of "Citizens of the Union".