Geel – A stockpile of U.S.-funded contraceptives worth €8.4 million remains in storage in Geel, Belgium, as Minister Maxime Prévot seeks to prevent its destruction, reports 24brussels.
The stock includes millions of condoms, contraceptive pills, implants, and intrauterine devices. Despite the supplies being ready for distribution, Belgian authorities are currently in negotiations to halt a U.S. directive for their destruction.
The White House previously ordered that the supplies be destroyed; however, local Flemish laws prohibit the destruction of usable medical products. Humanitarian groups have raised alarm over the potential consequences, warning that the destruction could result in hundreds of thousands of unintended pregnancies and more than 700 maternal deaths, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
What will happen to the U.S. contraceptives stored in Geel?
Organizations such as the Gates Foundation and MSI Reproductive Choices have offered to take the products and ensure they reach women in need, but the U.S. government has reportedly declined these offers, citing regulatory issues and concerns about certain medications in the stockpile.
During discussions with members of parliament, Minister Prévot acknowledged the public concern regarding the situation. He affirmed that ongoing talks with U.S. officials are aimed at preventing the stockpile’s destruction. However, he also clarified that the legal ownership of the contraceptives remains with the United States, and without U.S. approval, Belgium cannot assume control of the supplies.
“Seizure is only possible with the consent of the owning state,”
he stated.
The stockpile was initially intended for women in low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In early 2025, the future of these supplies became uncertain when President Donald Trump implemented a freeze on foreign aid and restructured USAID. Reports from July 2025 indicated that the U.S. planned to destroy the stockpile, referencing rules concerning the use of funds and the Mexico City policy.
