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Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Our common responsibility for tomorrow’s world Statement of the President of COMECE to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio +20

Twenty years after the first “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Heads of State and Government meet in June 2012 again in Rio for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). With this meeting, countless people are expecting that concrete measures are taken on the path to a more equitable and sustainable development. In a world where millions of people lack … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, International Religious Freedom, Policy Areas, Press

News

Christians in the Arab World: One year after the Arab Spring

To what extent is the ‘Arab Spring’ meeting the demands for more liberal values such as democracy and human rights? Will the diverse communities and cultures be respected? These were some of the questions raised during a half-day seminar on Wednesday 9 May, which was co-organised by the EPP and ECR political groups together with COMECE. Witnesses hailing from different parts of the Middle East … Continue reading »

International Religious Freedom, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Dialogue Seminar with the EU Commision on Religious – Freedom Freedom of Religion: the EU should set the standard on this central Human Right

In every country where the people’s rights of freedom of religion has been violated – and even threatened -, the society itself is at risk. Freedom of Religion is actually an important indicator for assessing the implementation of Fundamental Rights as a whole. The EU should therefore more clearly monitor violations of Freedom of Religion both within the EU and throughout the world. This was … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

“We are at a decisive moment for the future of Europe”

This is the statement of Cardinal Reinhard Marx after his election as the new President of the Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences in the EU. The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was elected by the Bishop Members on 22 March 2012 for a 3-year term of office as the COMECE Chair. He will be assisted by four Vice-Presidents: Mgr Gianni Ambrosio (Bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio, Italy), … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

Opening Speech of Mgr van Luyn-COMECE Plenary

In his opening Speech, COMECE President Bishop Adrianus van Luyn, whose mandate as a COMECE Chair is about to end, made a review of the events which have marked the European Union in the past months. In the context of the EU enlargement to Croatia and the start of negotiations with Serbia, he stressed the vital importance of reconciliation in the Balkan region, recalling that … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

COMECE Spring Plenary Assembly Press Information

The COMECE Spring Plenary Assembly will be held from Wednesday 21 to Friday 23March 2012 in Brussels. 23 COMECE Member Bishops will be present. The main topic of the Plenary will be « The European Year 2012 devoted to active ageing and intergenerational solidarity ». Besides, the Bishops delegate will renew the COMECE Permanent Committee by electing a new President and four Vice-Presidents during this … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Towards a new economic model, based on solidarity and responsibility: The European Social Market Economy

In response to the economic and financial crisis currently hitting Europe, the COMECE Bishops propose that the Common Market evolves towards the concept of a Social Market Economy in order for the EU to become a viable ‘Community of Solidarity and Responsibility’. By means of this Statement, which will be unveiled on 12 January 2012 in Brussels, the Bishops of the Commission of the Bishops’ … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

News

EU should update its research policy on stem cells

Human embryonic stem cell research is no longer patentable in the EU, it is ethically problematic and therefore is not a consensual research field among Member States and EU citizens. Moreover, it offers less and less clinical promise. COMECE therefore calls on the EU to exclude human embryonic stem cell research from its upcoming research funding programme Horizon 2020 and to focus instead on the … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

A long term European political vision is needed to overcome the crisis

In the midst of the Financial Crisis of the Eurozone, the COMECE Bishops call on the European Union and its citizens to refrain from blaming one another; instead we must assume co-responsibility for finding solutions. They call on European leaders to adopt a long-term perspective to overcome the crisis. These are the main messages of the Autumn Plenary Assembly of COMECE, which took place on … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

COMECE Autumn Plenary 2011 – More Europe, Not Less

Economic and Political Causes of the Debt Crisis in Europe Speech given by Emmanuel van der Mensbrugghe, Director of the IMF Offices in Europe, to the COMECE Bishops Good morning. It’s great to be back in Brussels, among such a distinguished group. Europe, of course, has a great legacy of economic cooperation and coordination. The process of European integration—culminating in economic and monetary union among … Continue reading »