Category Archives: Ethics, Research & Health


Scientific research and technological development make a major contribution to the integral development and the quality of life of human beings, especially, but not only, in the area of health where new therapeutic options become increasingly available. They are also an important motor of economic growth. COMECE chiefly covers the bioethical issues that arise at the EU level in the ambits of health and of research, although the main competences with regard to these matters remain largely at the Member States’ level. COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Working Group on Ethics.

Webnews

Swedish EU Presidency | COMECE participates in high-level meeting on loneliness held by Minister Forssmed

COMECE participated in the first high-level meeting on loneliness in the European Union. The event was held in Stockholm on 20-21 April 2023 by the Swedish Presidency of the Council of the EU. COMECE General Secretary Fr. Barrios Prieto: “Promoting community life is key to address loneliness”. Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), … Continue reading »

Invitation

Conference on the ‘European Care Strategy’ and challenges faced by women during and after the pandemic

COMECE and FAFCE invite you to participate in the conference “The European Care Strategy: Responding to challenges faced by women in times of (post-)pandemic?” to be held on Wednesday 30 November 2022 from 10:00 to 11:30 (CET)  at the COMECE Secretariat in Brussels. Registration | Programme Echoing the EU institutions’ assessment on the COVID-19 pandemic impact on women, COMECE and FAFCE organise this conference to … Continue reading »

08/07/2022

Statement of the COMECE General Secretary on EP Resolution “US Supreme Court decision to overturn abortion rights in the US” [EN, FR, DE, ES]


Press Release

COMECE on EP resolution on abortion: “no to higher ideological barriers and polarization, we must work for more unity among Europeans”

In a statement released on Friday 8 July 2022, Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), regrets the adoption of a new resolution on abortion by the European Parliament. “We must work for more unity among Europeans, not to create higher ideological barriers and polarization”. Read the Statement (EN – FR – ES – … Continue reading »

08/06/2022

Declaration of COMECE General Secretary on the EP discussion on “Global threats to abortion rights: the possible overturn of abortion rights in the US by the Supreme Court”

 

 


Press Release

Declaration of the General Secretary of COMECE on the EP discussion on “Global threats to abortion rights”

In view of the discussion scheduled for today, Wednesday 8 June 2022, in the European Parliament under the title “Global threats to abortion rights: the possible overturn of abortion rights in the US by the Supreme Court”, the Secretary General of COMECE, Fr Manuel Barrios Prieto, has made the following declaration: We see with surprise that the European Parliament will discuss the impact of a … Continue reading »

Press Release

European Catholic Social Days on technological & ecological transitions

The second day of the European Catholic Social Days, Saturday 19 March 2022, was devoted to the theme of digital and ecological transition processes. “Every effort to protect and improve our world entails profound changes in “lifestyles, models of production and consumption”. H.E. Mgr. Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture, delivered the first keynote speech of the day, addressing participants on new … Continue reading »

Press Release

EU Bishops reply to President Macron: “there is no recognized right to abortion in European or international law”

In a statement released on Tuesday 8 February 2022, the Presidency of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) expresses its deep concern on President Macron’s proposal of including a supposed right to abortion in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Read the full statement Aware of the tragedy and complexity of the situations in which mothers considering … Continue reading »