A few months ago, I asked the European Commission to examine whether harsh free-speech restrictions are allowed under the EU treaties. My question was prompted by the Irish law against blasphemy, which has made blasphemy a punishable offence.
Today, I had a letter in my mailbox from the European Commission’s unit D1.
This is was unit D1 had to say.
Dear Karl Sigfrid!
Thank you for your complaint letter concerning the change of the Irish Defamation Act from 2006.
Domestic laws on blasphemy are part of the national justice system in each member state. The European Commission has no authority according to the treaties to intervene in this area. It is the responsibility of the member state to ensure that freedom of speech is preserved in connection with this type of legislation.
Note that the letter was in Swedish and that this is my own English translation. The original wording in Swedish can be found here.
