On September 13, the European Humanist Federation (EHF) met the Polish rotating Presidency of the European Union in Warsaw to put forward a humanist and secularist view of current European and Polish issues. The EHF was represented by its President, David Pollock, and senior vice-president, Pierre Galand, while the Polish side was led by Elzbieta Radziszewska. Secretary of state for equal treatment. Discussions, which lasted for two hours, covered several topics including:
* The continuing “opt-out” by Poland from the European Charter of Fundamental Rights
* The religious objections to some fields of research in the Common Strategic Framework for future EU Research and Innovation Funding (« Horizon 2020 »)
* The slow progress with the draft EU directive on non-discrimination
* The undue privileges given to the Roman Catholic Church in Poland reflected e.g. in the joint committee of the Polish Government and Episcopate and in the laws requiring special respect for Christian values in Polish laws on education and broadcasting
* The need for progress with the revision of the 2003 Dublin regulation on migration.
Commenting afterwards, David Pollock said: “The EHF welcomes the declaration of the Polish Presidency that there is no longer any political objection to Poland cancelling its opt-out from the European Charter of Fundamental Rights,” says David Pollock, President of the EHF. “We will follow this closely in the coming months.”
Pierre Galand said: “As to the ethical orientation of future European research, the Polish Presidency assured us that its position will not be dictated by the Church but by ‘common sense’. We shall therefore expect Poland to oppose any ban on the EU funding research using embryonic stem cells such as has been demanded by the Catholic bishops and similarly their proposal for research designed to find evidence of the superiority of traditional ‘nuclear’ families.”
The EHF thanked the Polish Presidency for the meeting and for the promise to transmit to the forthcoming Danish Presidency the EHF’s request for a similar meeting.
Background:
Article 17 of the TFEU (inserted by the Lisbon Treaty) commits the EU to holding “an open, transparent and regular dialogue” with churches and non-confessional and philosophical organisations.
For several years, revolving presidencies of the EU had taken the habit to meet with churches but until the Belgian Presidency (second half of 2010) they systematically avoided meeting with non-confessional organizations. Since then, however, the European Humanist Federation has met the Hungarian Presidency (first half of 2011) and now the Polish Presidency in a pattern we hope is now established and permanent.
The European Humanist Federation (EHF) was formed in 1991 to unite organisations representing people with no religion committed to an ethical way of life in Europe. Today the EHF represents 50 member organisations in over 20 countries. Its main role is to work in and with the European institutions to defend human rights, democracy, solidarity and the rule of law which includes strict separation between Churches and States.
The meeting was prepared in collaboration with the Polish Humanist Association.
Is equality law oppressive or vital to protect liberty? Should there be legal exemptions for religious groups – and are there justifications for exemptions without religion? If burqas are permitted in the workplace, why not bikinis? Is conscientious objection an absolute right?
