The European Centre for Law and Justice this week

July 13, 2006

(Strasbourg, France)- The European Centre for Law and Justice continues to be on the forefront of religious freedoms and bio-ethical issues at the European level, both within the legal and political realms. Here is a sample of some of the things ECLJ has been working on this week:

European Parliament:

The ECLJ is working with key Members of European Parliament representing several Member States and three political parties on challenging the European Commission research and technology budget known as the 7th Framework budget. The budget makes allotments for funding embryonic stem cell research despite such research being either illicit or criminal in the majority of Member States. The Members met this week to discuss an ECLJ analysis of a proposed challenge before the European Court of Justice based on infringement of Member State sovereignty and lack of legislative competence. The Members of Parliament are enlisting the governments of six Member States to bring suit against the European Commission with ECLJ currently acting as legal advisor to the proposed case.

In addition to this, the European Centre continues to work on an exhaustive analysis of the European Commission Proposal for a Regulation on advanced therapy medical products (COM(2005)567) for the bill’s chief rapporteur Miroslav Mikolasik. ECLJ provided Dr. Mikolasik international legal definitions for several of the key terms in the bill this week for briefing the European Parliament and the press.

Kosovo:

ECLJ was contacted by several Christian groups in Kosovo in regards their concerns over a new draft bill on religious freedoms in Kosovo. The bill is part of a move to independence from Serbia and removal of UN forces from the area. The EU has been very instrumental in negotiating the new draft bill to ensure it meets European Convention of Human Rights standards.

Concerns regarding the bill are two-fold: (1) Protestant Christians were excluded from much of the negotiations whereas other religious groups including the majority Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Muslims were invited to participate. (2) While the Christian groups are happy with the current draft, finished in Vienna with EU participation, they worry that once independence is gained the Kosovo government will revert back to a previous draft greatly restricting minority religious rights. ECLJ agreed to continue monitoring the Bill’s progression and working in liaison with Kosovo and EU officials if necessary.

Algeria:

The European Centre has been working with Algerian church leaders regarding the deportation orders of several foreign Christian university students for taking part in a Bible study. The news comes weeks after the announcement of a new law in Algeria which criminalizes all non-Islamic proselytism. The event is troubling for several reasons primarily that the new law was used retroactively despite not being in force at the time of the Bible study. The Algerian Ministry responsible for the deportation orders is currently reconsidering the orders. ECLJ will keep you posted regarding further happenings.

United Kingdom:

ECLJ provided legal advice to the mother of a disabled boy in the United Kingdom who wishes to attend a Christian private school. Under British law, such accommodations are possible if so decided by the Local Educational Authority. Protocol 1, Article 2 of the European Convention of Human Rights provides that parents have the right to educate their children according to their religious faith. Further provisions supporting the family can be found in the British Education Act of 1996 and Disability Discrimination Act of 2005).