Abstract

This contribution contains the author’s reflections on the possible future of bilaterality in Europe, taking into account the current situation and in the light of its history. Starting with the fact that State’s cooperation with religion is the rule in Europe, the author points out that some countries with a Concordat with the Catholic Church tend to extend this model, with some adjustments, to other religious communities with strong social roots. On the basis that relations between State and religion involve a mixture of law, tradition, culture and politics, the author emphasizes that cooperation and bilaterality are not necessarily incompatible with the State’s neutrality and autonomy. Although they may not always work equally well in different countries, they are often a way to ensure religious freedom in a context of dialogue between the State and the civil society, and they are also an instrument to guarantee the stability and fairness of religious communities’ legal status beyond the often unpredictable swings of party politics. Nevertheless, the author claims that especial attention must be paid to the equal opportunities of religious communities to conclude cooperation agreements with the State, as well as to the government’s respect for the identity of each religious community. He concludes with some remarks on the position of the European institutions vis-à-vis State cooperation with religion and bilaterality.