The European Parliament Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance (Intergroup on FoRB & RT) is a group of like-minded MEPs dedicated to promote and protect FoRB in the EU’s external actions.
Intergroup on FoRB & RT was established in January 2015. It was previously the European Parliament Working Group on Freedom of Religion or Belief (EPWG on FoRB). The Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance includes a bureau of MEPs and a secretariat.
Freedom of religion or belief is a universal human right which is enshrined in Articles 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
The Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance aims to ensure that the EU, in its external actions, promotes and protects the right of individuals to freely manifest their beliefs (theistic, non-theistic and atheistic). The Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance does not consider the merits of the different religions or beliefs, or the lack thereof, but ensures that the right to believe or not to believe is upheld. The Intergroup on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Religious Tolerance is impartial and is not aligned with any specific religion or belief.