‘One of Us’ coalition to defend human life, dignity in Europe

Last updated on: September 12, 2014 at 8:14 am by CNA Daily News

‘One of Us’ coalition to defend human life, dignity in Europe 2014-09-12T08:14:00+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.

Madrid, Spain, Sep 12, 2014 / 02:14 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Citizens of 28 European countries belonging to 25 different organizations defending life and human dignity have come together to form the European Federation “One of Us,” named after a prominent E.U. citizen’s initiative.

According to a statement posted on its website Sept. 6, the organization is a “step forward” made possible “thanks to the way the citizens of 28 countries of the European Union have been working together to create the most successful European citizens' initiative of all … and one capable of doubling the number of signatures that were required by the European Commission.”

The federation takes its name from a European Union citizen’s initiative which called for “respect for human life in all European Union governing bodies”; it sought to ban E.U. funding for research and other activities that destroy human embryos.

Citizens' initiatives are intended to allow E.U. citizens to introduce proposed legislation into the E.U. parliament.

In order to win a hearing, initiatives must receive 1 million signatures from E.U. citizens and a minimum number of signatures from at least seven of the E.U.'s 27 member states within a year of the initiative being introduced.

The “One of Us” petition introduced in 2012 received 1 million signatures in early September 2013, nearly two full months before its deadline, and passed the minimum per country requirement in Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain.

It was only the second citizens’ initiative ever to receive the required support. Continued petition gathering later increased the signature total to nearly 2 million.

The European Commission ultimately rejected the initiative, however, choosing not to submit a legislative proposal on the ground that E. U. policy had been recently discussed. The commission said that it deemed the existing embryonic research funding framework to be appropriate.

The new “One of Us” coalition is meant to build upon the initiative's grassroots support and widespread momentum, and “wishes to take on the urgent challenges Europe faces in the defense of human life and human dignity.”

The federation is neither political nor confessional, and it has among its objectives the “unconditional recognition of the inherent and inalienable human dignity as a source of human freedoms and citizen’s rights. As such it should be inviolable and protected by all the public authorities.”

It also seeks “development of a Culture of Life in Europe, through promoting and supporting of activities that involve the advocacy of human life, particularly in its most vulnerable stages of development (conception and gestation, childhood, maternity, illness, disability, old age and end of life).”

Europe

Previous Post

September 12, 2014

Pope's appointment may signal advances in new abuse office

Next Post

September 12, 2014 Iraqis will be seen like early Christian martyrs, priest predicts

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

How many specific prophecies about Messiah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

300+ 250 150 200