WRITTEN QUESTION E-0773/04 by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission. Violation of religious freedom in Belgium.
Date: 2004-03-11
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Belgium, EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, admission of aliens, foreign national, freedom of religious beliefs, human rights, religious group, work permit

8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 88 E/213

information, which do not answer the specific criteria of the
The case of other types of confidential
definition of ‘inside information’ of Article 1 point 1 of Directive 2003/6/EC, is neither dealt with by this
Directive nor by any other piece of European legislation. Similarly, cases of businesses apart from issuers
or persons acting on their behalf or for their account are not regulated at European level.

(1) OJ L 96, 12.4.2003.

(2004/C 88 E/0220)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0773/04

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Belgium

In view of the following:

(cid:1) Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;

(cid:1) Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU;

(cid:1) Article 6 of the EU Treaty;

(cid:1) the International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 issued by the US Department of State;

and the fact that:

(cid:1) in Belgium foreign teachers belonging to the Assemblies of God (AOG) group used to obtain special

visas for missionaries, which meant that they did not need work permits;

(cid:1) now that special visas for missionaries no longer exist, they need a work permit, but it is not clear
what specific category of work permit is needed, so the missionaries do no know which one to apply
for and this constitutes an administrative obstacle for them;

(cid:1) the Church of the Latter-day Saints is still trying to solve the problem of how to obtain visas for its

missionaries.

Can the Commission say whether it is aware of these facts?

Can the Commission also say whether it considers the actions described as an infringement of the
fundamental rights guaranteed in Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and
that they therefore affect the essence of the rights, which are explicitly protected by Article 52 of the
Charter?

Whether it also considers that these actions are contrary to Article 6 of the EU Treaty and therefore the
principles common to all the Member States regarding respect for human and fundamental rights?

How it intends to dissuade the Kingdom of Belgium from carrying out such actions against religious
freedom?

If it does not explicitly condemn these actions, on what legal principles it bases its attitude?

C 88 E/214

Official Journal of the European Union

EN

8.4.2004

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(28 April 2004)

The matters raised by the Honourable Member have not been referred to the Commission.

regards

the granting of

As
from third countries,
the Commission would point out that at present there are no Community rules on entry and residence
for work purposes for nationals of third countries, and that all decisions in this field are a matter for the
Member States.

specific work permits

religious workers

for

In addition, the Commission has no remit to intervene in the event of violations of fundamental rights,
including religious freedom, unless such violations take place within the framework of Community law
and its implementation.

Lastly, if an individual believes that his fundamental rights have been violated, he can take proceedings in
the European Court of Human Rights after exhausting all domestic legal remedies.

(2004/C 88 E/0221)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0774/04

by Maurizio Turco (NI) to the Commission

(11 March 2004)

Subject: Violation of religious freedom in Cyprus

In view of the following:

(cid:1) Article 6 of the EU Treaty;

(cid:1) Articles 10 and 22 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU concerning religious freedom and

cultural and religious diversity;

(cid:1) the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of 1950 (in particular

Article 9);

(cid:1) the International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 issued by the US Department of State;

(cid:1) the Commission’s report of 19 February 2003 on the application for accession to the EU submitted by
the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia;

(cid:1) the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament

and the Council

‘The Commission’s Legislative and Work Programme for 2004’ of 29 October 2003 (1);

(cid:1) the Copenhagen political criteria regarding the right to religious freedom;

and the fact that:

(cid:1) in Cyprus members of Jehovah’s Witnesses have reported encountering difficulties in being recognised
as conscientious objectors and being exempted from military service in the Greek Cypriot National
Guard;

(cid:1) in the north of the island, on the basis of the 1960 Constitution the Vakf (Muslim institution
regulating the religious acitivty of Turkish Cypriots) pays the cost of the activities and salaries of
Muslim religious leaders, is exempted from tax on its religious activities and receives official subsidies,
whilst no other religious organisation is exempted from paying tax or is subsidised;

(cid:1) Turkish Cypriot citizens have reported the slowness of procedures at border-crossing points, which
have limited the number of people who can cross the border to visit religious sites during the
holidays;