European pro-life effort petitions court to be considered for vote

Last updated on: August 4, 2014 at 10:34 pm by CNA Daily News

European pro-life effort petitions court to be considered for vote 2014-08-04T22:34:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Brussels, Belgium, Aug 4, 2014 / 04:34 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- A European Union citizens’ initiative to ban human embryo-destroying research has filed a court petition after being denied a legislative proposal despite acquiring nearly 2 million signatures of support.

“It is not only about the right to life, but firstly about democracy,” said Gregor Puppinck, director of the European Centre for Law and Justice.

“One of Us” is a European citizens’ initiative that aims to protect the “dignity, the right to life and the integrity of every human being” at all stages of development. The initiative seeks to protect unborn life by halting the funding of embryo-destructive practices by the European Union.

European Union citizens’ initiatives are meant to help EU citizens introduce legislation to the EU parliament. In order to be introduced, an initiative must gain 1 million signatures from EU citizens and a minimum number of signatures from at least seven of the 27 EU member states.

The One of Us initiative was the second citizens’ initiative ever to receive the required support, gaining 1 million signatures nearly two months before its deadline, and eventually acquiring nearly 2 million signatures in support.

Despite these numbers, however, the European Commission opted in May “not to submit a legislative proposal” on the initiative.

One of Us has now filed a court petition with General Court of the European Union. The petition is directed against the European Commission, the Council of the EU, and the European Parliament for the Commission’s decision not to submit the proposal to the other two governmental bodies.

The application argues that the Commission failed to “respond to the assertion that the human embryo is a human being,” and that its refusal to present the initiative to the Parliament without legal reasoning violates democratic processes.

Puppinck stated that “the main concern of this application is not primarily the substance of the ONE OF US initiative, but the way in which it has been handled by the European Commission.”

He said that the Commission should clarify how citizens’ initiatives should be treated and what their purpose is.

Currently, the European Commission states that it objects to the promotion of abortion as a family planning method, but holds that abortion should be “performed in safe conditions” where legal. The European Commission has confirmed that between 2007 and 2013, it spent over $200 million on embryo-destructive research.

Europe

Previous Post

August 4, 2014

Australia mourns Cardinal Clancy, former Sydney archbishop

Next Post

August 4, 2014 Tulsa bishop urges prayer, fasting in response to black mass

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Bartimaeus Simon Nicodemus Zacchaeus