Portugal bars 'sexual health ship'

Portugal was accused tonight of breaching EU rules on free movement by banning a Dutch ship on a sexual health mission from its waters.

The European Commission has been asked to investigate why the vessel, the Borndiep, belonging to the association Women on Waves has been blocked from Portuguese waters.

According to British Labour MEP Calude Moraes, a member of the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Committee, the ship was invited to Portugal as part of an awareness-raising campaign for women’s reproductive health.

He said: “What is unclear in this situation is why the Portuguese Government banned the ship from entering Portuguese territorial waters. It could be the case that there has been a violation of the right to freedom of movement.

“That is why we are asking the European Commission to clarify the situation.”

Fellow Labour MEP Mary Honeyball, a member of the Women’s Rights Committee added: “Although the ship has now started its journey back to the Netherlands it is important that we get some answers to the bigger issues at stake here.

“I want to see women armed with a high level of sexual health education.

“Without the full range of information, women cannot make informed choices when it comes to their own sexual health. Denying access to sexual health education prevents real choice and is a denial of women’s basic human rights.”