A new website for a secular Europe has been launched in the European Parliament. The European Parliament Platform for Secularism in Politics (EPPSP), which brings together MEPs and NGOs from across Europe, launched its new website at yesterday’s final EPPSP meeting of the year.
The EPPSP defends and promotes fundamental rights, freedom of conscience, belief and speech, and is led by Dutch MEP Sophie in’t Veld, who stated that the EPPSP is open for all who support a free, secular Europe. ‘The EU institutions must remain secular, so as to ensure that all religions and life stances are treated equally and have equal possibilities to influence EU policy making.’
Following the launch of the website, the EPPSP meeting focused on EU dialogue with religious and “non-confessional” organisations, as mandated by Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
BHA Head of Public Affairs Naomi Phillips attends meetings of the EPPSP and sits on its advisory board. Speaking on the dialogue, Ms Phillips commented, ‘Despite the fact that the European Union is mandated to respect and treat equally both religious and philosophical, non-religious organisations, the churches and other organised religions have wide and privileged access to, and influence over, the institutions of the EU. The BHA works through the EPPSP and through the European Humanist Federation in order to make our contribution to promoting a separation of religion and politics across Europe.’
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The EPPSP interactive website can be found at http://politicsreligion.eu/
For further comment or information, contact Naomi Phillips on 020 7079 3585.
The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK and is affiliated to both the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU).