On 19 October 2011 the European Humanist Federation sent a complaint to the European Ombudsman about the refusal of the EU Commission to meet them in a “dialogue seminar” as 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 European Union (as amended by the Lisbon Treaty). The Commission regularly holds such dialogue seminars with the churches.
The press release is also available in Dutch, French, German and Italian. For coverage in the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, see here (page 1) and here (page 8 ).
Read here The EHF’s complaint to the Ombudsman
In the meantime the EU Ombudsman answered in a letter to the EHF dated 15 November, where he tells of the questions he has put to the Commission. The EU Ombudsman is taking seriously the EHF’s complaint about the EU Commission’s approach to the Aritcle 17 dialogue with EHF and in particular its treatment of their request for a dialogue seminar.
See here for an EHF press release, dated 23 November
