Brussels, 10/12/2013 (Agence Europe) - The Right has successfully knocked back a draft resolution on women's sexual and reproductive rights that advocated access to abortion services, contraception and sex education throughout the EU. The Greens and Socialists regret this step backwards for health and women's rights and have denounce a pre-election campaign of manipulation. The draft report by Edite Estrela (S&D, Portugal) created a lot of controversy last October. The plenary referred it back for examination to the committee, which again adopted it without any changes at all to the article on abortion that was problematic for EPP, Conservative and far right MEPs. The EPP and ECR then submitted an alternative resolution stating that “the elaboration and implementation of policies on sexual and reproductive rights, including sex education in schools is the remit of member states”. This was narrowly adopted by 334 votes to 327, thereby rendering the initial resolution from Estrela obsolete. S&D leader Hannes Swoboda (Austria) said that he was appalled and pointed out that previous EP positions supporting informed and responsible choices for all, “including the right to abortion”. The Greens shared this view and also criticised the political manoeuvring by the Right. Nicole Kiil-Nielsen (France) denounced the “misleading and demagogical campaign conducted by the conservatives and the far right” and called for vigilance against their increasing strength with the approach of the European elections. (MD/transl.fl)