Politics and Religion in the European UnionIn the context of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, under the aegis of the EU, the Centre for European Policy Studies and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung are organizing a seminar on the topic “Religion and Politics in the European Union”. New challenges, new responsibilities. The initiative derives from the awareness of the ever-growing diversity in the European Community, due to the recent enlargement to Eastern Countries and the presence of different faiths other than Christianity, that will influence the public lives of the Countries individually and as part of a community. The meeting that will be held in the afternoon of March 3rd in Brussels’ Palais des Academies, will be attended by Jan Figel, European Commissioner for Education and Culture, Wilfried Martens, president of Ceps, Msr. Adrianus Van Luyn, president of Comece (The Commission of Bishops’ Conferences in the European Community), Wilhelm Staudacher, General Secretary of the Adenauer Foundation and many other politicians, intellectuals and religious personalities. Among the various topics addressed: “Christianity, Islam and the changing role of Interreligious dialogue”, “Religion, Politics and the Reform Treaty”. The third of the six official meetings of the year on dialogue among cultures, titled “Interreligious dialogue” is scheduled for May 14th in Brussels.The 27 Countries towards a Framework Agreement with LibyaCreating stable relations with Tripoli, strengthening political, social, economic and cultural ties between the two shores of the Mediterranean. These are the main goals in the proposal presented on February 27th by the EU Commission, to define a framework agreement with Libya. President Barroso will try to draft the Council’s conclusions of last October “considering the substantial progress made in EU-Libya relations in the latest years.” Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner, explained: “This is a historical decision. Libya is an important player in the Mediterranean region and in Africa, and so far has no framework for relations with the EU”. European Commissioner for Trade, Peter Mandelson, completely agrees and highlights the important economic and commercial aspects of the initiative. The goals envisaged by the Commission include “The beginning of dialogue and co-operation on political issues of common interests such as safety, energy and migration”.Safer Internet to protect children”Safer Internet is a good example of a European programme that has direct consequences on citizens’ daily lives”. Josè Manuel Barroso, President of the Commission, presented this week a new program “for a safer online environment for our children”. “As more and more European children and adolescents use online technologies at home or at school,”-the Portuguese politician added- “They, their parents and their teachers need to be informed about the opportunities and risks Internet entails”. According to the Members of the Commission, “the new programme will fight not only against illegal content but also harmful behaviour such as bullying and grooming”. Last year the Commission held a broad consultation on this topic and now started its new programme that will run from 2009-2013 with a budget of 55 million euro. The programme is basically centred on four main areas: reducing illegal content by providing national contact and monitoring points; fostering “self-regulatory initiatives”; ensuring public awareness by targeting children and their parents; establishing a knowledge base by bringing together researchers engaged in child safety online. A “Pool” of radios talks about the EUSupported by the EU, its goals is to “reduce the distance” between European citizens and Community Institutions. A consortium made up of 16 radio stations in 13 countries (plus 7 associate radio stations) that “will co-produce and broadcast simultaneously programmes devoted to current affairs and the European society”. The group of stations will broadcast everyday information (news, debates, daily life events) on the EU and its common policies. The first broadcasts will start in April in ten different languages: Bulgarian, French, Greek, English, Portuguese, Polish, Rumanian, Spanish, German and Hungarian. The ultimate goal is to gradually broadcast in all the 23 languages of the EU. Some of the radios involved are: “Deutsche Welle”, “Radio Polskie”, “Radio France Internazionale”, the Spanish “Punto Radio”, “Radio Netherlands”, “Radio Slovenia”. The EU will back this initiative with a five-year funding of 5.6 million euro per year.
