Tuesday

19th Mar 2024

Atheists say EU privileging religious leaders over non-believers

  • St Peter's dome in The Vatican: non-theists say believers get too much of a say (Photo: flip.and.serena)

The European Union is keen to involve religious leaders in a policy dialogue, as required by the EU treaties, while consultations with atheists appear to be more of a chore that Brussels is resigned to, representatives of European secularist organisations are complaining.

At the second annual 'summit' in Brussels between the three presidents of the European Union and representatives of atheist groups and freemasons, the secularists demanded to be put on an equal footing with faith communities.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

"There is a clear preference for consultations with religious representatives," the head of the European Humanist Federation, David Pollock, told EUobserver.

Under pressure from church groups, and in particular from the Vatican, efforts to involve religious leaders in the crafting of legislation were surprisingly successful with the passage of the Lisbon Treaty, which, under its Article 17, requires a regular dialogue with religious associations, but also with "philosophical and non-confessional organisations".

"We are also concerned about the need for the EU's interpretation of Article 17 to be conducted in a more balanced way," Pollock continued.

"They spend much longer with the religious leaders," he added. "We are kept completely in the dark about how anybody is selected for these meetings. There is no consultation about the subject areas, about who is invited. We do not feel as though we have any ownership over the process at all. There needs to be a new start."

There are also no minutes of the meetings with the religious leaders, nor records of the speeches given by the presidents.

Beyond the regular summits that the three presidents hold with church, temple and mosque leaders, for a number of years, the European Commission has also held 'dialogue seminars' with the two conferences of European bishops.

However, when the European Humanist Federation (EHF) requested a similar dialogue seminar with the commission, on the topic of religious exemptions from EU laws and anti-discrimination legislation, the EU executive refused, saying that the subject lay outside its area of responsibility.

The EU ombudsman on 23 November subsequently requested the commission to explain why it had rejected the proposal for a seminar. The commission must reply by February next year.

According to the EHF, church groups are now pushing for the Article 17 dialogue with them to be "stretched to all levels" beyond the summits and dialogue seminars, with "working contacts" and "quick and efficient exchanges of views" on all subjects. There has also been a request for the establishment of a special office in the European Parliament to deal with religions.

Following the meeting Pollock said that he had been "provisionally reassured" by a commitment by European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso to take into account the concerns.

The atheist contingent at the meeting was also wondered why there is such an emphasis on the presence of freemasons. Ten out of the 16 invited came from masons' lodges from different countries. Only six individuals were invited from expressly non-theist organisations.

"While the continental freemasons are distinctly secular, we do question the balance in these meetings. The last meeting, three quarters of those there were freemasons," Pollock added.

At a hearing in the European Parliament later in the day on the implementation of Article 17, MEP Sophie in 't Veld, the head of the chamber's European Platform for Secularism in Politics complained that letters from the platform about how the summit had been organised had gone unanswered.

Vice-president of the parliament Laszlo Tokes, who also stressed the atheist nature of the Stalinist dictatorships of eastern Europe, said that he had not seen any letters and subsequently prevented in 't Veld from speaking, saying that her worries should not be voiced until the president of the parliament, Jerzy Buzek, was present in the room.

Atheists fear for democracy in Europe

The secular summit took as its theme democracy and pluralism in the EU.

According to commission spokesman Jens Mester, those present used the occasion to express their concern that democracy is under threat within the EU in the face of the economic crisis.

"A general concern by really most participants whas that in the current crisis, there is a risk that democratic values and liberties are being downgraded," he said.

"There is a worry that there is an increasing separation of the institutions from ordinary people, about the increased powers being assumed by technocrats especially in the context of the current crisis, about what has happened in Greece and Italy," Pollock explained.

"But there is a broader feeling of a disconnect, that with what Europe is going through, democracy is being curtailed. People feel that they have no control over Europe, that everything is being decided for them, without their input," he said. "There is a need for politicians to get back in charge and reassert democracy in Europe."

The three presidents responded with "general reassurances" that democratic values inform all of their work, according to those in the room.

EU to hold atheist and freemason summit

Brussels is to hold an EU summit with atheists and freemasons in the autumn, inviting them to a political dialogue parallel to the annual summit the bloc holds with Europe's religious leaders.

Ombudsman: EU database on fraud suspects breaches rights

The European Commission's management of a database containing the names of companies or people deemed to pose a threat to the financial interests of the European Union is trampling basic rights, according to the EU ombudsman.

Opinion

How the EU can raise its game in the Middle East

Could the EU repair its reputation and credibility by taking action on Gaza? EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, Spain, Belgium and Ireland, have worked hard to repair the damage, but have faced political headwinds due to internal divisions.

Latest News

  1. Borrell: 'Israel provoking famine', urges more aid access
  2. Europol: Israel-Gaza galvanising Jihadist recruitment in Europe
  3. EU to agree Israeli-settler blacklist, Borrell says
  4. EU ministers keen to use Russian profits for Ukraine ammo
  5. Call to change EIB defence spending rules hits scepticism
  6. Potential legal avenues to prosecute Navalny's killers
  7. EU summit, Gaza, Ukraine, reforms in focus this WEEK
  8. The present and future dystopia of political micro-targeting ads

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us