Category Archives: Policy Areas

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Fostering resilience for sustainable peace

COMECE together with Justice&Peace Europe and Pax Christi International submitted a contribution to the forthcoming Joint Communication from the EU High Representative and the European Commission on resilience. The contribution entitled “Fostering resilience for sustainable peace” provides reflections and 10 concrete proposals for implementing resilience – one of EU’s strategic priorities. While welcoming the prioritisation of resilience in EU’s Global Strategy, the COMECE contribution puts … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Presidents of CEC-COMECE meet, discuss future of Europe and dialogue with President Juncker

Cardinal Marx, president of COMECE, and Rt Rev. Christopher Hill KCVO, DD, president of the Conference of European Churches met on 31 March to strengthen the ecumenical commitment of the Church to the European project, in whatever new ways are appropriate in light of current challenges. They were also received on this day by Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, as part of … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

COMECE contributes to the EU consultation on VAT rates

COMECE stresses that clear and fraud-proof Value Added Tax (VAT) rules are crucial for the functioning of the European single market, but that simplifying these rules should not take place to the detriment of the objective of a just and equitable tax system. The consultation is part of the VAT Action Plan of the European Commission. It aims to reduce complexity of VAT rules with … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Reactions of Cardinal Marx on Pope Francis’ speech to the Heads of State and Government of the EU

Pope Francis received the Heads of State and Government of 27 EU Member States on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. In his speech, he called on them to discern “the paths of hope, identifying specific ways forward to ensure that the significant steps taken thus far have not been wasted, but serve as the pledge of a long and … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Lunch debate: Migration and Integral Human Development: 50 years after Populorum Progressio

In 2017 we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Encyclical Populorum Progressio by Pope Paul VI whose enriching reflection shifted development to the center of the question of social justice. From then on the concept of integral human development (“the good of every man and of the whole man”) entered for good into Catholic Social Teaching. War and violence, or lack of social, … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

How to implement a global concept of defence?

COMECE organised a roundtable debate on the possibilities to better articulate civilian and military aspects of a global concept of defence. 25 stakeholders from European External Action Sevice, EU Military Staff, European Commission, European Parliament as well as NATO, UN and from the humanitarian field discussed the opportunities to strengthen the coherence of civil-military relations at the European level. In the light of the current … Continue reading »

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

NEWS

African Bishops´ Conference visits COMECE

Africa and Europe are bound together by history, geography and a common destiny. They also share a community of values on which the Bishops from Africa and Europe wish to build. To mark this close relationship, COMECE received a delegation from the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) led by its President, H.E. Gabriel Mbilingi, Archbishop of Lubango (Angola). The Vice-President of … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

What actions to better accompany migrants?

Nearly 400,000 migrants, including 94,000 minors, have arrived in Europe by sea in 2016. The peak of the migration crisis has passed but many lessons can be learned. The COMECE Working Group on Migration and Asylum met on 9 March 2017 to discuss this subject. Sant’Egidio and other Catholic associations try to mitigate the lengthy national reactions by developing humanitarian corridors. However, this system must … Continue reading »