Category Archives: Policy Areas

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Migration : UNHCR welcomes moral stand of Bishop Zsifkovics

Migration : UNHCR welcomes moral stand of Bishop Zsifkovics UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency pays tribute to the moral stand of the Bishop of Eisenstadt and COMECE member who, in 2015, “refused to allow a border fence to keep out refugees to be built on church land, and helped to change Austrian government policy on border security.” The Eisenstadt diocese gave temporary shelter to 1,000 … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Mental health in Europe and Christian ethics: An Opinion of the COMECE Working Group on Ethics

In an aging European society, mental health is an increasing concern with strong economic and social impact. Brain disorders affect one in three Europeans and have an estimated cost of €800 billion a year. In order to help Europe to tackle the issue, COMECE publishes its reflexion and proposals. Back in 2008, the European Commission had launched the European Pact for mental health and well … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Churches: “which response to terrorism in Europe?”

“One of the causes of the jihadi Salafism development is the lack of alternative proposals by our society” said Br Olivier Poquillon, Secretary general of COMECE, in his intervention to 5th European Catholic-Orthodox Forum. The European Catholic-Orthodox Forum is an initiative promoted by the Council of European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE) along with the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the accordance of the Orthodox Churches present in Europe. … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

World Day of Migrants and Refugees

Pope Francis issues a vibrant call in favour of Child migrants and several Bishops conferences in Europe have launched statements and initiatives to encourage Christians and political leaders to act. • The Call of Pope Francis More and more children are crossing borders on their own. Child migrants travelling alone are among those at the highest risk of exploitation and abuse, including by smugglers and … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Maltese EU Presidency: Revitalizing faith in the European Project

On Friday 6 January, a joint delegation from the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) met with the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Joseph Muscat, and representatives of the government of Malta at the start of their six month Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The meeting was convened to discuss common concerns, … Continue reading »

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, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Cardinal Marx on the Berlin attack

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the President of COMECE and of the German Bishops’ Conference, expresses his compassion for the victims and calls for unity after yesterday’s act of violence against the Christmas market in Berlin (19 December 2016): “The news from Berlin have deeply shocked me. The violence on the Christmas market is the opposite of what visitors were seeking. My compassion goes to the relatives … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

European Bishops call for an integrated approach to combat poverty

119 million Europeans are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. Among them, children and families are still the most affected. The Catholic Church in Europe is particularly involved in the fight against this plague. Convinced of the urgent need for an integrated approach at European level, COMECE puts forward a series of proposals. As the European Commission develops a European Pillar of social rights, … Continue reading »