Tags: Europe
Mandatory declaration of religion breaches human rights, says NSS
Posted: Fri, 26 Jun 2020
The NSS has challenged a requirement that parents in Greece must declare their religion on children's birth certificates. Read More »
NSS welcomes ECHR’s rejection of anti-abortion nurses’ appeal
Posted: Tue, 17 Mar 2020
A European court has rejected an appeal by two nurses who were not hired as midwives in Sweden because they refused to perform abortions. Read More »
Compulsory RE mustn’t indoctrinate, says European Court of Human Rights
Posted: Thu, 31 Oct 2019
The European Court of Human Rights has said RE curricula must be conveyed in an "objective" manner after a successful NSS intervention. Read More »
Sharia ‘law’ should not trump domestic law, ECHR rules
Posted: Wed, 19 Dec 2018
A Greek court was wrong to prioritise sharia 'law' provisions over those of the country's domestic legal code, the ECHR has ruled. Read More »
EU advisor says meat from unstunned animals can be labelled organic
Posted: Fri, 21 Sep 2018
The National Secular Society has criticised a "perplexing" opinion from an EU advisor that meat from non-stun slaughter can be considered 'organic'. Read More »
Christian groups coordinating anti-rights campaigns across Europe
Posted: Fri, 04 May 2018
An effort by Christian groups to restrict LGBT+ and women's rights across Europe has already had some success, a report has revealed. Read More »
Swedish governing party plans to end religious 'free' schools
Posted: Tue, 13 Mar 2018
Sweden's governing party will propose ending the role of publicly-funded religious 'free' schools in its manifesto for autumn's election. Read More »
ECHR: Lithuania infringed free expression over religious icons
Posted: Thu, 01 Feb 2018
Lithuania violated the right to free expression by fining a fashion company for using religious imagery in adverts, the ECHR has ruled. Read More »
Iceland: 72% support separation of church and state
Posted: Wed, 17 Jan 2018
More than seven out of ten Icelanders who have an opinion on the separation of church and state support the idea, a poll has found. Read More »
NSS calls on European leaders to robustly promote the “democratic value” of separation of religion and state
Posted: Mon, 19 Jun 2017
The National Secular Society today called on EU presidents to promote "democratic values", warning that past assumptions about the place of religion in politics and modern society being settled may no longer apply. Read More »
Inclusive schools needed to tackle radicalisation, says European Commission
Posted: Thu, 16 Jun 2016
The European Commission has called for inclusive education to help tackle radicalisation across the continent. Read More »
European Commission announces online crackdown on “hate speech”
Posted: Thu, 02 Jun 2016
Tech companies including Facebook and Twitter have signed up to a new European Commission plan designed to clampdown on online "hate speech." Read More »
NSS stresses role of education in nurturing cohesive societies in speech at European Parliament
Posted: Tue, 24 Nov 2015
The NSS has told top-level European officials of the positive role secular education can play in building a shared future and challenging religious intolerance across Europe. Read More »
Council of Europe “retreat” on circumcision of young boys
Posted: Thu, 08 Oct 2015
Jewish and Muslim groups have claimed victory after the Council of Europe 'retreated' over a proposed ban on male circumcision and instead recommended that it only be performed by trained individuals. Read More »
National Secular Society calls for integrated education at EU colloquium on combatting religious hatred
Posted: Fri, 02 Oct 2015
The National Secular Society has spoken out at a meeting of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on religious intolerance to call for integrated schools that promote citizenship and human rights. Read More »
Ireland strongly criticised by UN for domination of religious schools over education system
Posted: Tue, 23 Jun 2015
The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) has called on Ireland to "increase the number of non-denominational schools" in its education system. Read More »
Secularists call for commitment to free speech and civil society to challenge bigotry
Posted: Tue, 02 Jun 2015
The National Secular Society has called on the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights to promote a robust civil society response against religious and ethnic hatred. Read More »
NSS warns of ‘de-facto’ blasphemy laws at European Parliament
Posted: Thu, 26 Feb 2015
The National Secular Society has raised concerns about the limits imposed on free speech by unofficial blasphemy laws enforced by the threat of violence. Read More »
Head of Russian Orthodox Church says secularization in Europe has reached “apocalyptic dimensions,” calls for “Christian values”
Posted: Tue, 25 Nov 2014
Patriarch Kirill said Europe has abandoned its "Christian identity" and that the "process of secularization" has reached "apocalyptic dimensions". Read More »
Secularists protest Pope’s planned address to the European Parliament
Posted: Fri, 31 Oct 2014
Over a dozen secularist organisations have written to the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, objecting to his invitation to Pope Francis to address the Parliament. Read More »
