The Catholic Church in the European Union
Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union
COMECE participated in a Round Table at the EU Parliament on “Expectations and challenges to Iraqi National Reconciliation” organised by the Community of Sant’Egidio. Mgr Louis Sako, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldean, asked the EU to support creation of reconciliation mechanisms and to prepare the post DAESH reconstruction through a roadmap involving all relevant actors.
On the eve of the European Sunday Alliance Conference on ‘Work-Life Balance 4.0 – Challenges in a Time of Digitalisation’, COMECE general secretary Olivier Poquillon met Christian workers representatives for a consultation.
COMECE participated in the 2nd European Congress for the Protection of Persecuted Christians in Krakow. The objective of this conference was to pinpoint the directions of legal and political action which should be taken to curb this cruel phenomenon. The Event under the Patronage of the President of Poland was organised by MEP Ryszard Legutko in cooperation with, among others, Aid to the Church in … Continue reading
Commenting on the New Dublin IV Proposal, COMECE and other members of the Christian Group on Migration and Asylum call upon the EU Commission to further develop an asylum system which should be designed and implemented matching and integrating the applicant’s and the Member States’ preferences, needs and potentials in the allocation process.
Digitalisation is changing our society in many ways. New forms of employment are emerging, new professions are being created, others will disappear and our ways of communication is changing. But what does this mean for our private life? What influence does this development have on our everyday life in society and with our family? Tuesday 15 November 2016, 9h00 – 16h00 European Economic and Social … Continue reading
During their Plenary Assembly, the COMECE Bishops had an exchange on the outcome and consequences of the referendum in the United Kingdom. Bishop William Kenney, delegate of the England and Wales Bishops’ Conference, explained that since the outcome of the Brexit referendum ‘there is very little clarity as to what is going to happen or what consequences will ensue.’ He said he believes the Church … Continue reading
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
Five years after its launch, the Commission proposes to make the Transparency Register mandatory for all actors interfacing with EU institutions on policies and legislation. According to the text, whereas their EU representations should register, Churches as such are exempted from this obligation.
This years’ International Workshop and General Assembly of Justice & Peace Europe held under the chairmanship of its President Mgr Jean-Claude Hollerich in Luxembourg explored the challenges of security facing Europe today in dialogue with representatives of politics, the military, EU institutions, civil society and the Church, including the General Secretary of COMECE. In their final declaration, the participants called to “build bridges of justice … Continue reading
Chaired by Mgr Hoogenboom, COMECE Legal Affairs Commission’s second meeting of the year had a fruitful exchange with the EU Commission on the impact of new General Data Protection Regulation on Churches. The meeting especially gathered legal experts from 10 European Bishops‘Conferences.