Humanists meet with European Commission for frank and constructive dialogue over the future of Europe

At the invitation of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans, the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and some of its member organisations*, met today with the European  Commission and the European Parliament to discuss the future of Europe.

Humanists welcome this opportunity for a High Level dialogue under Article 17 of the Treaty, which places churches and non-condessional organisations on an equal footing. The EHF would also welcome additional meetings with religious reprensatives to discuss issues of mutual interest.

Whilst Europe is celebrating the 60th annivesary of the Treaties of Rome, the European project is in danger. Europe needs to reaffirm and protect its core values grounded in secularism, human rights and the Rule of law. The EHF welcomes the Commission’s White Paper on the Future of Europe and the explicit reference to the Ventotene Manifiesto for a Free and United Europe. Written in times of deep crisis (1941), this Manifesto should inspire us to open a new chapter of the European project as a new impulse is necessary if we are to hand on a better Europe to future generations.

Humanists have a role to play in supporting discussions towards a better, free, equal and solidar Europe.

* EHF Members and their organisations invited along with the EHF Secetariat were the following:

Giulio Ercolessi (EHF President)

Martine Cerf, Egalité Laïcité Europe (EGALE, France)

Andrzej Dominiczak, Polish Humanist Association (Poland)

Frieder Otto Wolf, Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands (HVD, Germany)

Lone Ree Milkaer, Humanistisk Samfund (Denmark)

Keith Porteous Woods, National Secular Society (UK)