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.
Ethics, Research & Health, EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

New Defence Technologies: which legal and ethical implications?

A roundtable debate on “New Defence Technologies” took place at COMECE on June 19th, 2018, to discuss the current developments in this field and reflect on related legal, security and ethical questions. The meeting, organised in the context of the recent proposal of the European Commission on the future European Defence Fund, gathered representatives of the EU, the military, academia and the Church. The 15 … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Western Balkans: Mgr. Nemet to visit Brussels

In the context of a renewed momentum for the European integration of the Western Balkans, H.E. Mgr. Dr. Ladislav Nemet SVD (Serbia), President of the International Bishops’ Conference of St. Cyril and Methodius, will come to Brussels on 13-15 June 2018. He will meet with high-level EU officials in order to exchange on the necessary steps that can be taken on the side of the … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Western Balkans and the EU: next steps…?

Lunch Debate

Following the recent EU-Western Balkans Summit and in view of the upcoming meeting of the European Council, COMECE and the European Office of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung invite you to join a discussion entitled “Western Balkans and the EU: next steps…?”. This lunch event will take place at the COMECE Secretariat on Thursday, the 14th of June 2018 from 12:00 to 14:00. Representatives of the Church, youth … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

EU-ACP partnership, COMECE gathers religious actors and policy-makers

COMECE hosted a dialogue meeting between faith-based actors and policy-makers in preparation of the upcoming negotiations on the future cooperation 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, discussed ways of shaping the future relations between the EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. The event … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

COMECE contribution in view of the EU-Western Balkans Summit

Following the recently published “EU Strategy for the Western Balkans”, the EU perspective of the Western Balkans seems to be gaining new momentum. The political representatives of the 28 Member States will meet their Western Balkans counterparts at the Summit in Sofia on 17 May 2018, the first of its kind in 15 years. In view of this Summit, COMECE elaborated a contribution in dialogue … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

President of Burundese Bishops’ Conference visits COMECE

Mgr. Joachim Ntahondereye, Bishop of Muyinga (Burundi) and President of the Burundese Bishops’ Conference, visited COMECE in order to draw the attention of the European institutions to the political, social and economic challenges his country is currently facing. During his meeting with COMECE General Secretary, Mgr. Ntahondereye expressed his concern for the situation of young people in Burundi. According to the Bishop, the European Union … Continue reading »

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

NEWS

DRC, calling on all actors to achieve peace and democracy

Six people were killed in Kinshasa on 21 January during demonstrations against delayed elections and the continuation of President Kabila’s mandate. Other 57 people were injured, and 111 were arrested across the country. According to the United Nations (UN), most of the victims were Catholic faithful who peacefully protested after attending Sunday Masses. Pope Francis appealed to authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

EP Dialogue with Church actors on the External Policies of the EU

On December 6th COMECE participated to “The External Policies of the EU”, an event co-organised with the European Parliament as part of the Dialogue between the EU institutions and representatives of Churches and religious associations and communities. The event focused on the positive contribution that Churches and Church actors can bring to the development of a more coherent EU external policy based on the rule … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

COMECE contribution on Private Investment and Development

With the recently launched European External Investment Plan, traditional development cooperation seems to move from a donor-recipient relationship towards a fair and mutually beneficial partnership. In this context, COMECE has published its assessment and some concrete policy recommendations. In the context of the recent 5th AU-EU Summit and the upcoming EU-ACP negotiations on the future of their relations, the Secretariat of COMECE elaborated a contribution … Continue reading »