# CE2004078EN.01060602.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/606 |
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27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/606

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(2004/C 78 E/0641)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3665/03

by Nelly Maes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(9 December 2003)

Subject:   Non-confessional organisations

Subject:

Despite the proposed European Constitution, which confers equal status on churches and non-confessional communities, we have noted that the Commission has consulted certain religious communities about immigration and measures against prostitution and trafficking in persons. Non-confessional organisations were evidently not consulted.

| 1. | Why were non-confessional organisations, such as the European Humanist Federation, excluded from this dialogue? |
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1.

Why were non-confessional organisations, such as the European Humanist Federation, excluded from this dialogue?

| 2. | Why was the non-confessional organisation so excluded despite Declaration 11 appended to the Treaty of Amsterdam, which guarantees equal treatment of religious and non-confessional organisations? This exclusion was also not in the spirit of Article 51 of the Draft Constitution of the EU. |
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2.

Why was the non-confessional organisation so excluded despite Declaration 11 appended to the Treaty of Amsterdam, which guarantees equal treatment of religious and non-confessional organisations? This exclusion was also not in the spirit of Article 51 of the Draft Constitution of the EU.

| 3. | Can the Commission confirm that the dialogue with religiously inspired NGOs will immediately be opened up to non-confessional philosophical organisations? |
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3.

Can the Commission confirm that the dialogue with religiously inspired NGOs will immediately be opened up to non-confessional philosophical organisations?

| 4. | Can the Commission confirm that in future non-confessional philosophical organisations will be treated equally to religious organisations? |
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4.

Can the Commission confirm that in future non-confessional philosophical organisations will be treated equally to religious organisations?

| 5. | Can the Commission guarantee that its attitude in this regard does not foreshadow its future interpretation of the application of Article 51 of the draft Constitution of the EU? |
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5.

Can the Commission guarantee that its attitude in this regard does not foreshadow its future interpretation of the application of Article 51 of the draft Constitution of the EU?

Joint answer

to Written Questions E-3602/03 and E-3665/03

given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(10 February 2004)

(10 February 2004)

The Commission would like to reassure the Honourable Members that Article 51 of the draft Constitutional Treaty, which is entitled ‘the status of Churches and non-confessional organisations’, and which provides for a dialogue with such organisations, does not foreshadow any loss of status for non-confessional organisations. The dialogue referred to is in fact already organised on a regular basis, notably in the aftermath of European Councils, and the established practise will continue. The Commission is not aware of any particular dissatisfaction with this dialogue, on the part of non-confessional organisations.

The meeting referred to by the Honourable Member on 21 October 2003, was in fact an information meeting in advance of a conference to be held later on in Rome, at the initiative and under the organisation of the Presidency of the Council at that time.

Due to the fact that the Italian Presidency sought contact with experts from religious organisations for their Conference in Rome, it merely chose to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the presence in Brussels of such organisations — amongst others — who had come for one of the regular dialogue meetings.

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