Category Archives: EU External Affairs


The EU started to develop a Common Foreign and Security Policy with the Maastricht Treaty (1992). Moreover, in recent years, the EU intensified efforts to promote Human Rights outside its borders and it has played a major role in International Trade and Development Aid.
EU Enlargement continues to be an important pillar of EU’s External Policy. Since 2004 a specific Neighborhood Policy was elaborated to establish good relations with neighboring countries.
In the hope that a united Europe can take a stronger role on the world stage, COMECE together with Justice and Peace Europe aims to assist the EU in its vocation to promote global peace and assume its responsibility for supporting sustainable development and social justice across the world. COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Commission on the External Relations of the European Union.
EU External Affairs, Press

NEWS

COMECE reflects on future priorities for the Eastern partnership

In the context of the 10th anniversary of EU’s partnership with its six Eastern neighbouring countries, COMECE will address the future priorities of this policy framework during the Autumn meeting of its Commission on EU External Affairs, discussing ways to empower youth, families and local communities. Following the June 2019 European Council, the European Commission and the European External Action Service are supposed to present … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Press

Press Release

COMECE reflections on “uncrewed armed systems”

COMECE publishes a contribution to the ongoing discussion on the development and use of increasingly sophisticated armed technologies. This reflection, entitled “Technology at the service of peace”, provides recommendations to the EU and its Member States on how to address the (mis-)use of force through “uncrewed armed systems”. Produced by a COMECE ad-hoc working group led by Prof. Dominique Lambert, the reflection comes at a … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Press

NEWS

How can the Church and the EU support Human Rights defenders in the Amazon?

In preparation for the October 2019 Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon Region, COMECE held on 19 June 2019 a dialogue meeting between EU policy makers and Church and civil society representatives on human rights defenders in the Amazon region. Discussing the respective roles of the Church and the EU in addressing the environmental, social and human rights concerns in the region, this event allowed … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, International Religious Freedom, Press

Press Release

COMECE accompanies Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad to the EU

COMECE accompanied His Beatitude Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako I, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, in his 2-day visit to Europe addressing EU representatives and policy makers on the reconstruction of Iraq and the challenge of reconciliation among Iraqis. Although major military operations concluded in late 2017, the humanitarian crisis in Iraq is far from being over. According to recent statistics, 8.7 million people – … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Press

NEWS

COMECE recalls the need for a rights-based approach in EU External Action

COMECE contributed to a consultation launched by the European External Action Service providing recommendations on EU priority actions to promote Human Rights and Democracy in the world. The COMECE contribution was elaborated in view of the renewal of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy (2020-2024). Recalling that human rights are universal, inviolable, inalienable, indivisible, interdependent, interrelated and non-hierarchised, COMECE proposed to include … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Press

NEWS

Military Bishops in dialogue with the EU on human security

In the context of an increased attention to security concerns of European citizens, COMECE organised on Monday 8 April 2019 a first meeting between Military Bishops from across the European Union and EU military officials to enhance the cooperation towards a shared strategic culture across Europe. This meeting allowed them to exchange on their respective military realities and on the EU’s response to current geopolitical … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, International Religious Freedom, Press

NEWS

COMECE calls the EU to promote long term resilience in Syria

COMECE urges the EU to support Syrian people to overcome their immediate humanitarian needs and to promote their long term resilience. The call came on Wednesday 3 April 2019 during the conference “The next day in Syria: a path towards the resilience of Syrian people” co-organised at the European Parliament by COMECE and its ecumenical and political partners. After six years of war, people in … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Press

Press Release

A renewed EU-ACP partnership: How to support development through investments?

On 4 February 2019 COMECE hosted a dialogue meeting between faith-based actors and policy-makers in the context of the on-going negotiations on the new partnership between the EU and the ACP countries. Stakeholders from the European External Action Service, European Commission, European Parliament, as well as faith-based actors from the field, including entrepreneurs and youth representatives, discussed how public authorities in the EU and in … Continue reading »