07/07/2020
COMECE-CEC contribution to the German EU Presidency (EN)
Category Archives: Justice & Fundamental Rights
Respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and human rights are the values on which the European Union is founded.
The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU is the fundamental text of reference for Union policies and initiatives.
COMECE closely follows policies related to justice and fundamental rights in areas such as equality and non-discrimination, data protection, family matters, rights of the child, child protection and EU citizenship.
COMECE is of the view that fundamental rights must have a clear and objective concept of human dignity as their basis, that the focus must be on the ethical implications of EU policies and legislation, and that considerations must be given to the way these latter may impact on the activities of the Church.
COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Legal Affairs Commission.
Press Release
Churches-EU Dialogue: COMECE and CEC meet with German EU Presidency
An ecumenical delegation of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) have met in Brussels on Tuesday, 7 July 2020, with Mr. Michael Clauss, Ambassador at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU, to exchange on the priorities of the German Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The delegation called the … Continue reading
NEWS
Freedom of religion at stake in the context of fighting against Covid-19
“The reopening of churches must be implemented by civil authorities in dialogue with ecclesial institutions”, states Fr. Barrios Prieto, General Secretary of COMECE, thereby expressing a widespread feeling within the Church in many EU Member States. “Freedom of religion, including freedom of worship, is a fundamental right and a real necessity for many people – states Fr. Barrios Prieto. “The reopening of churches, in compliance … Continue reading
News
COMECE Legal Affairs Commission: focus on new EU dossiers
The COMECE Legal Affairs Commission gathered experts from EU Bishops’ Conferences on Thursday 5 March 2020 in order to address current EU legal matter of particular relevance for the Church. Legal advisors updated each other and reflected on the continued impact of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on the Catholic Church in the Member states. This topic will be the focus of the upcoming … Continue reading
Press Release
COMECE establishes a dialogue with the Court of Justice of the EU
On Friday 31 January 2020, a COMECE delegation met with several judges of the Court of Justice of the EU to discuss the increasing impact of the Court’s jurisprudence in the Member States’ legal systems. Mgr. Hoogenboom: “this fruitful dialogue enriched the COMECE Legal Affairs Commission and brought to the attention of the judges legal specificities and some key points of the Catholic Church in … Continue reading
News
Liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau: 75th anniversary. Bishops across Europe: “No to antisemitism and political manipulation of the truth”
On the occasion of the 75th anniversary since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, COMECE and CCEE, on behalf of the bishops of the EU and Europe, express their commitment to fight “all acts that trample on human dignity”, including racism, xenophobia and antisemitism. In the spirit of the message addressed by Pope Francis to the “Simon Wiesenthal Center” on Monday 20 January 2020, … Continue reading
21/01/2020
COMECE-CEC contribution to the Croatian EU Presidency (EN)
25/11/2019
COMECE contribution on Promotion of places of workship in the EU (EN)
NEWS
The COMECE Legal Affairs Commission addresses GDPR and media challenges
The COMECE Legal Affairs Commission convened for its second meeting of the year on Tuesday, 29 October 2019, mainly focusing on the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which remains a key priority for COMECE. In dialogue with the European Data Protection Board, experts delegated by EU Bishops’ Conferences extensively exchanged on challenges and solutions concerning the GDPR, with particular attention to its … Continue reading
15/07/2019
COMECE-CEC contribution to the Finnish EU Presidency (EN)