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, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Dublin IV Reform: “insufficient progress”

The reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) proposed by the EU Commission, despite some positive developments, does not implement the expected higher protection standards in what should be a fair asylum system. This is the assessment formulated by COMECE together with Christian Churches and organisations working in the area of migration & asylum in a response submitted to the EU Commission and the … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Migration and European values Topic of the High-level religious leaders meeting with the EU

Two Bishops of COMECE participated in the High-level religious leaders meeting with the EU. This year it was dedicated to the theme “Migration, Integration, European values: from words to action”. COMECE welcomes the open and constructive dialogue which took place on 29 November at the seat of the EU Commission with the Commission’s First Vice-President Frans Timmermans. The First Vice-President of COMECE, Mgr Jean Kockerols, … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Migrants: from fear to compassion

Mass migration prompted by global conflict and ecological crises has stirred up unresolved fears in European societies. Understanding and responding to this was the central theme of a dialogue seminar that took place on 24 October between churches and the European Commission. Participants in the seminar identified two widely experienced types of fear. The first is the fear of rejection, violence, and exclusion many migrants … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Catholic Church and the European Solidarity September

The sixteenth edition of the conference on the role of the Catholic Church in the process of European integration co-organised by COMECE together with partners in Cracow, on September 21-22, 2016 focused this time on four specific issues imperatively necessitating solidarity in the EU, namely the solidarity in security and defence policy, solidarity towards the challenges of migrations and asylum, solidarity in reference to the … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Pope Francis’ visit to Lesbos: a bench-mark moment for Europe’s response to the refugee crisis

In view of Pope Francis’ visit to Lesbos on 16 April next, the General Secretary of COMECE, Fr Patrick H.Daly, made the following statement: “At the very outset of his pontificate, in visiting the rocky Italian outpost of Lampedusa, Pope Francis displayed his concern for those many migrants who put their lives at risk in order to seek refuge in Europe. The fate of migrants … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

News

Refugee Crisis: Bishops discuss plan of joint action for Europe

“Facing a crisis with many Faces”: this was the title given to a meeting organised by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) which brought together bishops from the Middle East, southern and western Europe, with Catholic experts from the field, to discuss migration. It was the Bishop of Eisenstadt, Mgr. Agidius Zsifkovics, in his capacity as COMECE co-ordinator on Refugees, … Continue reading »