Category Archives: Policy Areas

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 »

Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Work-Life Balance: an important step towards family-centered society

COMECE welcomes the new EU rules on Work-Life Balance allowing parents and carers to better reconcile their work and family lives. The agreement, which comes after three years of negotiations between the EU institutions, introduces minimum rules on paternity leave and supports EU citizens providing care to family members in need of assistance. In a changing world of work and a demographic shift towards an … Continue reading »

Ecology & Sustainability, Press

Press Release

Second European Laudato Si’ Reflection Day: “Towards a Life-Style conversion”

Four years after Pope Francis’ Encyclical letter on the “care for our common home”, representatives of European Bishops’ Conferences, as well as Catholic organisations and movements, held in Brussels the Second European Laudato Si’ Reflection Day on Wednesday 12 June 2019. At the core of the event, a call on Catholics and all people of good will to carry out a lifestyle conversion to answer … Continue reading »

Ecology & Sustainability, Press

Invitation

Second Laudato Si’ Reflection Day: “Towards a true Life-Style conversion”

Following last year Laudato Si’ Reflection Day, COMECE is pleased to invite you to the Second Laudato Si’ Reflection Day to deepen the discussion on the ecological conversion Pope Francis called for in his Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’. Participants will exchange on creative Church practices and projects aiming to better take care of the Creation. This meeting will be a good opportunity to highlight Church … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Press

NEWS

COMECE gathers Church data protection experts

Following a demand of its Legal Affairs Commission, COMECE organised on 21 May 2019 an expert meeting to discuss the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its impact on Church activities after one year of application. In dialogue with the European Commission, some of the main challenges in the field were identified and discussed. The protection of personal data, being a long-term … 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 »

Ethics, Research & Health, Press

NEWS

EU Guidelines promote a Human-centred Artificial Intelligence

COMECE welcomes the human-centric approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) adopted in the “Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI” published by the European Commission on Tuesday 9 April 2019. In February 2019 COMECE contributed to the public consultation carried out by the EC High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence, reaffirming the primacy of the human person and promoting a right-based approach in reviewing the main principles that … Continue reading »

Press, Youth policies

Invitation

Synod on Youth continues: a socio-political reading

In October 2018, on the occasion of the “Synod on Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment”, Pope Francis urged youth and Church representatives to discuss the involvement of young people in society. Rather than working for the youth, Pope Francis highlighted, it is necessary to work with the youth, allowing them to fully realise their talents and aspirations in their local communities, and to empower them … Continue reading »