Spain Overtakes UK As Top Abortion Destination For Maltese Women
Spain has officially overtaken the UK as the leading destination for Maltese residents travelling abroad to access abortion services, a new cross-border investigation analysed by Amphora Media has found.
Historically, the UK had been the most common destination. However, official data now shows that more Maltese women are opting for Spain, with 27 travelling there in 2023, compared to just four who went to the UK.
Factors influencing this shift include easier access to abortion in Spain, cheaper procedures compared to countries like the UK and the Netherlands, and better flight connectivity.
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The UK’s post-Brexit visa changes and growing awareness of abortion pills have also played a role.
Despite a 2023 law allowing abortion in life-threatening medical situations, Malta still has the strictest abortion laws in the EU.
Only five legal abortions have taken place locally since the law passed, four in 2024 and one in 2023.
No procedures have been reported so far in 2025.
The investigation, part of the wider “Exporting Abortion” project coordinated by Spanish news outlet Público, sheds light on the thousands of European women who are still forced to travel abroad each year to terminate pregnancies, even in countries where abortion is technically legal.
Malta remains one of the countries most reliant on such cross-border access, alongside Poland and others with highly restricted reproductive laws.
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