Response from Claude Moraes

Dear Ms Kaur,

Thank you for your email. I asked a written question to the Commission on Sikhs and the banning of religious articles of faith in the last parliamentary term, on January 19 2004. My question was:

Is the European Commission aware of the implications for the Sikh community in any EU Member State which is considering the banning of religious articles of faith?

Is any action or analysis of this situation, which is of deepening concern to ethnic minority Europeans, being taken at EU level?

I received the following response from the Commissioner for Justice and Home Affairs at the time, Antonio Vitorino:

The Commission is monitoring the developments the Honourable Member refers to through an ongoing dialogue with religious and ideological groups, based on deep respect for religious diversity. Should violations of fundamental rights (including freedom of religion) occur, under Community law, the Commission would take the appropriate action to ensure that these rights were respected.

My question can be viewed online at: click to view question. And the answer is available at: click to view answer

I hope this information is of use to you. Thank you also for the letters of support for the Written Declaration on Religious Symbols which you attached to your email. Please let me know if I can be of help in distributing these letters or in any other way.

Best wishes,

Claude Moraes MEP