Category Archives: Migration & Asylum

Migration and asylum are human rights issues. Frequently, individuals and families leave their places of origin or residence seeking an improvement in their living conditions or simply fleeing violence or war.
The current scale of the phenomenon at the EU borders is worrying, as are the tragedies and deaths that result from the desperation of migrants, many of them victims of criminal activities of smugglers and traffickers. Integration of migrants and asylum seekers is also a challenge.
The COMECE Secretariat works for the rights of migrants, refugees and hosting societies to be harmonised and respected in the EU for the sake of the common good in the Christian spirit of welcoming the stranger.
COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Working Group on Migration and Asylum.
Migration & Asylum, Press

Press Release

COMECE President’s Statement recalling the support of the Catholic Church to the UN Global Compact on Migration

“You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:34). Following Pope Francis, the Catholic Church in Europe reaffirms “our shared responsibility to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate”, migrants and refugees in our societies. … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Press

NEWS

COMECE Working Group on Migration: preventive trafficking and protecting refugees

The COMECE Working Group on Migration and Asylum discussed the current EU challenges in the fight against trafficking in human being and in the protection of refugees. Held on 22 November, the working group gathered experts from Bishops’ conferences together with representatives of Catholic organizations and EU officials. The participants examined the post-2016 framework in the fight against the trafficking in human beings, calling the … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Migration, addressing its root causes while protecting migrants

During the international conference on “Religious freedom and development cooperation to reduce the causes for migration” on 17 September 2018, COMECE stressed the primary right of every human person to live in dignity in his home country without being forced to move. Participants debated the ways to address the root causes of migration through the European development cooperation, which, emphasised COMECE, “should neither be based … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Press

NEWS

Roma people, committing for their full inclusion into the European societies

Seven years after the EU Commission adopted the EU framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies up to 2020, recent statistics show that Roma people’s inclusion in European societies is still a challenge that deserves to be faced. COMECE is committed to promote their full integration into societies, respecting their culture in diversity and meeting their specific needs, including education, employment, housing, healthcare and citizenship. As … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

The Global Compact on Migration adopted at the UN

The Global Compact for Safely, Orderly and Regular Migration was finalised on 13 July and shall be formally adopted during the Intergovernmental Conference that will be held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 10-11 December 2018. As Fr. Fabio Baggio C.S, Under-Secretary of the Holy See’s Migration & Refugees Section, explained during the recent COMECE-organised meeting, the UN Global Compact on Migration is a non-binding intergovernmental negotiated … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Migration and Asylum: focus on the Dublin Regulation recast

The COMECE Working Group on Migration and Asylum examined the status quo of the negotiations concerning the Dublin Regulation recast, that should be adopted by the Council at the end of June 2018. The event was held last week and gathered experts from Bishops’ conferences, representatives of Catholic organizations and EU and UN officials. Participants also discussed the criminalisation of the humanitarian assistance to irregular … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

World Day of Peace: Migration as an opportunity to build peace

In his Message for the World Day of Peace, Pope Francis encouraged to offer «refugees, migrants and victims of human trafficking an opportunity to find the peace they seek». The Holy Father also underlined that political leaders should «by practising the virtue of prudence, […] take practical measures to welcome, promote, protect and integrate» men and women, children, young and elderly people searching for peace. … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

COMECE Working Group on Migration and Asylum: focus on the African migration to the EU

COMECE Working Group on Migration and Asylum analysed the situation and challenges related to African migration to the EU, in the context of the new EU–Africa Partnership. Held on the 6th of December, the working group gathered representatives of Catholic organizations, experts from Bishops’ conferences and EU officials. The participants examined main migratory trends in Sub-Saharian countries, as well as some of North African realities, … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Mediterranean Sea: Migrants and refugees should be protected at all stages of their journey

According to a recent report published by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), almost 3,000 migrants and asylum seekers died attempting treacherous boat crossings to Europe so far this year. For COMECE, “migrants and refugees should be protected at all stages of their journey.” Despite the EU efforts to address the challenges of the migration crisis on the basis of its European Agenda, migrants and … Continue reading »