Category Archives: Policy Areas

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 »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

News

Integration of refugees: COMECE discusses with MEP

The EU needs to apply a more holistic approach to the integration of refugees. This was the outcome of the dialogue COMECE organised with Thomas Mann (EPP), member of the EU Parliament, and several Catholic organisations. Drawing from their own experiences, Caritas Europa and the Jesuit Refugee Service Europe stressed that welcoming refugees has to go hand-in-hand with orientation courses, language assistance and psycho-social support. … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

European Day for a Work-Free Sunday: Call for Action!

In Europe, the proportion of workers reporting working Sundays increased between 2010 and 2015. COMECE believes that a work-free Sunday is an essential pillar of the European social model. Together with the European Sunday Alliance, we launch a call for action to show the need for a common EU-wide regulation. Sunday is of great importance because it allows families to spend time together, employees to … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

World Day of Social Justice: towards an integrated approach to combat poverty

This 20 February marks the United Nations World Day of Social Justice, an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. The COMECE Bishops recall that “Care and respect for the poorest and most vulnerable persons in a society are the basic criterion for social justice.” Social Justice is a major challenge for the EU. Today, almost 24% of Europeans are at … Continue reading »

Education & Culture, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

The participation of COMECE in the “Summer School” renewed until 2020

Since 2006, students from all over the world attend the Graz-Seggau International Graz University (Austria), organized by COMECE, the University of Graz and the Diocese of Graz-Seggau. Students and teachers work in an interdisciplinary manner on topical subjects, particularly those related to the European Union and its relations with “the Americas” (Canada, USA, Caribbean and Latin America). The next session will take place from 2 … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Europe needs more unity in the respect of social rights

COMECE and Caritas Europa welcome the request of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Thorbjørn Jagland to include the Council of Europe’s European Social Charter in the EU proposal of the European Pillar of Social Rights. It is only through a coherent approach in European social policy that the growing divergence between Member States can be resolved. In a few weeks’ time, … Continue reading »