The Commission of European Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) will focus on the challenges and priorities that face the European Union in a new union of 25 member states at their Autumn Plenary Meeting in Brussels on 18-19 November 2004.
The Bishops will concentrate particularly on the Lisbon Strategy, consolidation of the enlarged Union, Turkey’s candidacy, and the Constitutional Treaty. They will also address the spiritual and cultural dimensions of Europe.
The keynote speakers will be Renè LERAY, Directorate General External Relations, European Commission, David WHITE, Directorate General Enterprise, European Commission , and John BRUTON, head of the European Commission delegation in Washington D.C. and former Prime Minister of Ireland.
Journalists are invited to attend an
EVENING DEBATE AND RECEPTION
At 19 :30 on Thursday 18 November 2004
At the Hôtel Eurovillage, 80 Boulevard Charlemagne, 1000 Brussels
“The European Union and Turkey”
Speakers: Miss Sylvie Goulard, author of ‘The Grand Turk and the Republic of Venice’
Dr. Marek Grela, Permanent Representative of Poland to the European Union
Dr. Otmar Oehring, Director of the ‘Human Rights’ Section of MISSIO
Aachen, Germany
Journalists are particularly invited to attend a
PRESS CONFERENCE
At 14:00 on Friday 19 November 2004
at the Hôtel Eurovillage, 80 Boulevard Charlemagne, 1000 Brussels
Bishop Josef HOMEYER of Hildesheim (Germany), President of COMECE,
Bishop Adrianus van LUYN of Rotterdam (Netherlands), Vice-President,
Archbishop Hippolyte SIMON of Clermont (France), Vice-President, and
Bishop Anton STRES, Auxiliary Bishop of Maribor (Slovenia)
will present conclusions of the Plenary Meeting.
COMECE is a Commission of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of the member states of the
European Union.
The following bishops will participate in the Plenary Meeting on behalf of their Bishops’ Conferences:
Bishop Josef Homeyer (Germany); Bishop Adrianus van Luyn (Netherlands); Archbishop Hippolyte Simon (France); Cardinal Josip Bozanic (Croatia); Bishop Teodoro De Faria (Portugal); Bishop Jozef De Kesel (Belgium); Archbishop Fernand Franck (Luxembourg); Rev. Gintaras Grusas (Lithuania); Bishop Egon Kapellari (Austria); Bishop William Kenney (Sweden); Bishop Vaclav Maly (Czech Republic); Archbishop Darmuid Martin (Ireland); Bishop Giuseppe Merisi (Italy); Bishop Peter Moran (Scotland); Bishop Frantisek Rabek (Slovakia); Archbishop Ioannes Spiteris (Greece); Bishop Antón Stres (Slovenia); Bishop András Veres (Hungary); Archbishop Elias Yanes Alvarez (Spain)