New legislation, inspired by the German "church tax" model, will soon allow all Romanian citizens to direct a part of their income tax to the churches or other organisations of their choosing.

MPs have backed a bid by Conservative MP Peter Bone to amend the Charities Act to restore the presumption that all religious groups are for the public benefit and therefore can be charities.

A Christian debt counselling organisation that offers prayers with its advice is spreading rapidly throughout the country.

Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has accused the Charity Commission of trying to suppress religion and predicted that the Plymouth Brethren case, where the organisation has been refused charity status, will be the first of many.

Italy's Council of State rejected a decree this week aimed at ending an historic tax exemption for the Catholic Church, reigniting a heated debate which is being closely followed by EU watchdogs.