The Intergroup for Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance welcomes the appointment of Frans van Daele as new EU Special Envoy for religious freedom. However, for many persecuted believers, this action by the European Commission comes too late. According to Intergroup co-chairs Peter van Dalen (EPP) and Carlo Read more…
Members of the Intergroup, together with other interested colleagues, have written a letter to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen urging her to appoint a new EU Special Envoy for freedom or religion or belief as soon as possible. The post has de facto been vacant for over two Read more…
On the 3rd of May, during the Strasbourg plenary, the European Parliament voted on a resolution that we have been waiting for a long time, the INI report on the persecution of minorities on the grounds of belief or religion written by Karol Karski. The report – approved by a Read more…
The EU and freedom of Religion or belief 2017-2021. Presentation of the periodical report The presentation of the periodic report published by the Intergroup on Religious Freedom of the European Parliament was held this afternoon. The report, which outlines the state of the art of religious freedom in the world Read more…
On Friday 12th of November seven Members of the European Parliament, including four of the Intergroup on FoRB, have sent a letter to the Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. Juan Carlos Camacho Camejo, of the Cuban Embassy in Brussels. The letter is about the persecution and torture of a Cuban pastor in Read more…
This European Parliament Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance (FoRB&RT) has sent a letter of congratulation to former MEP Anna Záborská, who is appointed to the Government Deputy on Religious Freedom or Belief in the Slovak Republic. Click here for the letter in PDF
“In May 2021 we made a statement that finally the EU Special Envoy on FoRB was appointed. Now in September 2021, only 4 months later, we are disappointed that Christos Stylianides has decided to take up another role and to make the position of the Special Envoy vacant again. We Read more…
ECR MEP Carlo Fidanza, the co-chair of the Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief, said: “We welcome the nomination of Christos Stylianides as EU special envoy for the promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief. We waited two years for this appointment to come. Two years in which the Read more…
“Happy and grateful”, is the first reaction of MEP and co-chair of the Intergroup on FoRB, Peter van Dalen, to the news that the European Commission has finally appointed a new EU Special Envoy for Religious Freedom. The Commission has appointed former European Commissioner Christos Stylianidis. According to Van Dalen, Read more…
The EU must do everything it can to free the Pakistani couple Shafqat Emmanuel and Shagufta Kausar. This is what MEP Peter van Dalen (ChristenUnie) thinks: “As a result of the blasphemy laws, innocent people in Pakistan are being prosecuted. This Christian couple, too, has been falsely sentenced to death. Read more…
Peter van Dalen, member of the European Parliament and Co-Chairman of the Intergroup on Freedom of Religion Or Belief and Religious Tolerance, has published an article in New Europe. It is about: June 24 marks the seven-year anniversary of the EU adopting its guidelines for the promotion and protection of Read more…
The European Post published an article in its internet-magazine about the Special Envoy on FoRB. Co-chairs Van Dalen and Fidanza are making a strong appeal on the European Commission to fill this position again. Here is the link to that very interesting and readable article:
On Tuesday 11th of February 2020 the Intergroup is re-established for this new mandate with a new Bureau.