BRUSSELS - Contraceptive pills and implants will be available free of charge to all women in Belgium up to the age of 25, under a new measure currently going through the federal parliament.
The age criteria to benefit from a 100% reimbursement for contraception will incease from 21 to 25 once the decree has been passed.
The move was approved by a large majority in the parliament's health committee. Only the N-VA party voted against. It will now be put to a vote in the full house.
The committee also voted to make the morning-after pill free to all women, regardless of age.
"We are delighted to have taken this extra step," said Socialist MP Karine Lalieux. According to Belgium's national insurance institute, Inami, the measure will cost €6 million a year.
Having already achieved joint first place with France in this year's edition of the Contraception Atlas, launched just last month, this positive step will result in an even higher score in next year's edition, as both inclusive reimbursement programmes and easy access to emergency contraception were key criteria of our analysis. It takes into account the fact that many people do not finish studying or earn a comfortable enough wage to afford regular contraception expenses until they reach 25. This should further reduce the abortion and unplanned pregnancy rate among young people and guarantee access to contraceptives up until a more practical age.
