13 May 2012
The EHF has written to the Ombudsman with firm comments on the EU Commission’s response to our complaint about their approach to the Article 17 dialogue with us and in particular their treatment of our request for a dialogue seminar. Our covering letter is here. It attaches our detailed comments, which have three enclosures: a letter from BEPA to the EHF dated 16 November 2011; an email from BEPA to the EHFdated 5 May 2011 and a letter… read more »
The Ombudsman in March 2012 forwarded to us for comment the EU Commission’s response to our complaint about their discrimination against us in their implementation of the Article 17 dialogue. The Ombudsman’s letter and the EU response may be read here. For the EHF’s complaint, see here . For the Ombudsman’s request for comments from the Commission, see here. For the EHF’s comments to the Ombudsman on the Commission’s response, see here.
1 December 2011
On 30 November 2011, President Buzek invited the non-confessional organisations to a meeting in the European Parliament to discuss its implementation of the Article 17 dialogue. This took place after the Article 17 “summit” with the three EU Presidents, reported here. Unfortunately the President was unable to attend until the last minute or two (he had to preside at a plenary session of the Parliament which also drew away for much of the time the three… read more »
The third annual “summit” meeting of “philosophical and non-confessional” organisations with the three EU Presidents under Article 17 was held on November 30. The press conference: Presidents Buzek, Barroso and van Rompuy. David Pollock is between the first two; Pierre Galand at the extreme right. David Pollock took advantage of it to expose the dissatisfaction of the humanist and secularist movement with the way the Commission is implementing the dialogue under Article 17. The EHF… read more »
23 November 2011
The EU Ombudsman is taking seriously the EHF’s complaint about the EU Commisssion’s approach to the Article 17 dialogue with us and in particular its treatment of our request for a dialogue seminar. In a letter to the EHF dated 15 November, he tells us of the questions he has put to the Commission. See here for an EHF press release, dated 23 November. For the EHF’s complaint, see here . For the Commission… read more »
28 October 2011
On 19 October 2011 the European Humanist Federation sent a complaint to the Ombudsman about the refusal of the EU Commission to meet them in a “dialogue seminar”. It was accused of refusing to comply with the Lisbon Treaty. This meeting should indeed be part of the “open, transparent and regular dialogue” with churches, religious associations or communities, philosophical and non-confessional organisations which is mandated by Article 17:3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the… read more »
2 May 2011
Click here to open EHF annual report for 2010.
17 December 2010
The churches’ determination to exert influence over the European Union and its member states dates from long before the debate of the last few years over a constitution for Europe. Stage One In March 1996, during the preparation of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) in Turin, a note was given to the ambassadors of EU countries accredited to the State of the Holy See. It said: The Holy See declares that the following objectives should be… read more »
25 October 2010
On October 15 2010 President Barroso called the first top-level meeting under “Article 17″ between representatives of so-called “philosophical and non-confessional organisations” and the EU presidents – Messrs José Manuel Barroso (of the Commission), Herman van Rompuy (of the Council) and Jerzy Buzek (of the Parliament). EHF was represented by its President, David Pollock, and one of its vice-presidents, Pierre Galand. The meeting was on the EU’s theme for 2010 – poverty and social exclusion…. read more »
11 July 2010
The general principle Application of the principle in the European Union EHF general policy on consultation and dialogue Current concerns Concordats The general principle Humanists and secularists vigorously defend the principle of freedom of religion or belief, including the freedom to change one’s religion or belief or to have no religion or belief. Such freedom includes the freedom to behave and conduct one’s life in accordance with one’s own beliefs. This freedom needs to be… read more »