The European Humanist Federation (EHF) has lodged an official complaint against the European Commission, accusing it of treating them as second class citizens.

In an open letter, they say the Commission, by refusing their proposal of a dialogue seminar on “Competing Rights Issues in Europe” has failed to implement Article 17:3 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU).

The article obliges the EU to “maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue” with churches, religious associations or communities, philosophical and non-confessional organisations.

The European Humanist Federation has been recognised as a “philosophical and non-confessional organisation” by the Commission.

The purpose of their seminar, the EHF say, was “to examine issues of human rights, equality and non-discrimination arising from the exemptions for ‘churches and other public or private organisations the ethos of which is based on religion or belief’” in Article 4 of the Employment Equality Directive.

The Commission has engaged in a number dialogue seminars with two conferences of European bishops, COMECE and CEC under Article 17.3 of TFEU.

The letter says: “The Commission has indicated that the principal means by which it wishes to conduct the Treaty dialogue is through dialogue seminars – small meetings of nominated individuals from each side discussing specific topics.

“Whereas the Commission has been ready since the early 1990s to engage in dialogue seminars with the two conferences of European bishops, COMECE and CEC, they have refused to meet the European Humanist Federation on the false ground that the subject we have proposed lies outside the powers and functions of the Commission.”

In the letter, the EHF insist “that the subject we propose is within the powers and functions of the Commission” and “that there is in any case no need for a dialogue seminar to be confined to matters within the powers and functions of the Commission”.

Meanwhile, Atheist Ireland have sent all seven Presidential candidates five questions about the role of religion in Irish life.

The questionaire asks whether each candidate what they will do to “make atheist and agnostic citizens feel welcome and included under your Presidency” and whether they will address the Houses of the Oireachtas on the topic of whether “the Irish State should treat atheist, agnostic and religious citizens and organisations as equal under the law”.

The questionaire also asks candidates about their views on the Presidential Oath of Office, specifically as to whether they think they should be “required to publicly ask a god to “direct” you in your work as our President”.

It also asks candidates whether they are “comfortable with the fact that you are running in an election that excludes many conscientious Irish citizens simply because they do not believe in a god” and what they would do to try to change this situation.

The question also asks: “Are you comfortable with the fact that as President your Council of State must exclude many conscientious Irish citizens simply because they do not believe in a god? If elected President, what specifically will you do to try to change this situation?”

So far, only one candidate, Mary Davis, has answered. However, on their website, Atheist Ireland give no indication as to what her answers were.