The EU Council of Ministers or European Council is the gathering of the heads of government of all EU member states (and also refers to similar meetings of ministers concerned with any particular topic – finance, trade, etc). It is the political sovereign body of the EU, alongside the Commission (the civil service) and the Parliament. (It is not to be confused with the Council of Europe, which is not an EU body at all.)… read more »
The EHF has written to President Sarkozy of France in his capacity as current president of the Council of the European Union referring to a meeting he held with a delegation of Christian churchmen on November 21 and asking for a similar meeting. Such meetings with bishops and others are now routine with each six-monthly EU Council presidency. The letter says: We are unhappy . . . that meetings should be held exclusively with representatives… read more »
The EHF wrote on 28 November 2008 to President Sarkozy of France in his capacity as current president of the Council of the European Union. The letter referred to a meeting the French Presidency had held with a delegation of Christian churchmen on November 21 – such meetings with bishops and others are “a now well-established tradition” with each six-monthly EU Council presidency – at which the churches discussed (according to their own press release)… read more »
Six EHF Board Members travelled to Klingberg in Germany (north of Hamburg) for a valuable weekend conference on 21-23 November on values and lifestance education in Europe. Organised by DFW in association with the EHF, the conference (“Secular Europe: Integrative Value Education in Europe”) explored the organisation and content of values and lifestance education in different countries. There were conflicting views on the need and justification for any confessional education (including humanist courses as well… read more »
The EHF has sent comments to the EU Commission on its draft directive to ban discriminaton in areas beyond employment, which was covered some years ago. We warn that the directive risks giving legal support to the widespread discrimination practised by the churches and other religous bodies. If the exceptions for religion cannot be very narrowly defined, we say it would be better for the Directive to leave out religious discrimination altogether. Read our comments… read more »
European Humanist Federation A DIRECTIVE THAT RISKS ENTRENCHING DISCRIMINATION A response to European Commission on the Proposal for a Council Directive on Implementing the Principle of Equal Treatment Between Persons Irrespective of Religion or Belief, Disability, Age or Sexual Orientation SUMMARY Unfair discrimination by religious institutions enjoying extensive financial and other legal privileges is widespread across Europe. The Directive risks institutionalising such discrimination by encouraging legislation that explicitly permits it as an exception to a… read more »
David Pollock, EHF President, was a “key contributor” to an invitation-only EU conference on “Intercultural Dialogue – A Challenge for Faiths and Convictions?”, held in Brussels on 11 November 2008. He insisted that “interfaith” dialogue that excluded the non-religious was illegitimate and set out the conditions on which religious voices could legitimately be heard in the public square. Read his speech here.
Remarks by David Pollock, EHF President, at EU conference on “Intercultural Dialogue – A Challenge for Faiths and Convictions?” organised within the framework of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 by EU Directorate General for Education and Culture and held in the Berlaymont Building, Brussels, 11 November 2008 In the limited time available, I want to make just three points. Dialogue between groups defined by religion or belief must include the non-religious. Separation of… read more »
The following is the English text of the Bylaws agreed by the General Assembly on 10 July 2008 and officially approved by the Belgian authorities in November 2008. NB that the French text is definitive. Identification number: 19057/92 Company number: 448534037 International association governed by Belgian Law constituted by royal decree of 18 June 1992 according to act published in the annexes of the Moniteur Belge of October 29, 1992 modified by the General Assembly… read more »
On November 5 2008 we wrote as follows to Mr Luc Van den Brande, President, Committee of the Regions, about a Forum due to be held on 25-26 November 2008 on the subject “Intercultural dialogue at the heart of Europe’s cities and regions”: Dear Mr Van den Brande It is unfortunately unlikely that we shall be able to send a representative to this Forum, and for this reason I write to you to express our… read more »