17/02/2016
Contribution to the consultation on challenges of work-life balance faced by working parents and caregivers (EN)
Category Archives: Social & Economic Affairs
In 1957 the six founding nations of the European Economic Community set out to create a common market with a common competition and trade policy. This project remains central to the European Union.
Under the terms of the Maastricht Treaty a monetary union dimension was added to the project. Today, the Treaty of the European Union requires in art 3,3 the EU to become “a highly competitive social market economy”.
COMECE has welcomed the inclusion of this goal and recommended balancing responsibility and solidarity in the Euro zone.
The COMECE Secretariat follows socio-ethical questions raised by the process of European integration in the field of social and economic policy.
COMECE is assisted in this mission by a Commission on Social Affairs.
News
Cardinal Marx : ‘Europe is a project of reconciliation, not of division’
Statement of the President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), Reinhard Cardinal Marx, on the Greek crisis. ‘Long days and nights of nerve-wrecking negotiations lie behind us. The Greek crisis of recent weeks has preoccupied not only our political leaders but also each and every European citizen, living with the uncertainty as to whether or not the crisis would … Continue reading
Press Release
The official website for the second series of European Catholic Social Days is online
Today has seen the launch of the official bi-lingual (English-Spanish) website www.catholicdays.eu for the second series of European Catholic Social Days (Madrid, Spain, 18-21 September 2014) on the theme “The Christian faith and the future of Europe’. 150 delegates from the Bishops’ Conferences and church bodies throughout the continent will gather in Madrid to reflect on the Church’s mission in contemporary society and link the … Continue reading
News
Towards a Europe of greater fraternity and solidarity
Europe is a community of life and destiny. Facing the social crisis, Christians have all the tools at their disposal to fashion a Europe of greater fraternity and solidarity that puts people at the heart of its project. The current crisis offers Christians an opportunity to engage in innovative and decided ways for a Europe of solidarity and peace. This is the feeling that emerges … Continue reading
News
Youth Policies, Education and unemployment. The young claim: ‘we are the solution !’
Young people have great expectations where the EU decisions makers are concerned, especially after the promises of the 28 EU Heads of States to put together an EU youth employment package. But is this a reliable long term solution to youth unemployment? Young people want the EU to tackle unemployment and education not FOR them but WITH them because they see themselves as the solution … Continue reading
Press Release
Europe Needs a Social Dimension –Church Leaders Tell Irish EU Presidency – Joint Irish Council of Churches-CEC-COMECE Press release
European economic governance needs to be balanced by a social dimension, according to Churches in Europe. At a meeting with the Irish EU Presidency in Dublin this morning (Friday March 8), they questioned the sense in discussing economic austerity without including measures for social cohesion. Efforts aimed at the eradication of structural poverty and inequality should all be considered when measuring economic progress, they maintained. … Continue reading
News
Intergenerational Solidarity deserves full support by the EU and Member States in order to overcome the economic and demographic crises
Intergenerational Solidarity was at the heart of this year’s annual summit meeting of European Faith leaders with the Presidents of the EU Institutions. This was the eighth such high-level meeting which took place at the invitation of President José Manuel Barroso and was co-chaired by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and László Surján, Vice-President of the European Parliament. The European Commission maintains … Continue reading
Press Release
Our common responsibility for tomorrow’s world Statement of the President of COMECE to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio +20
Twenty years after the first “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Heads of State and Government meet in June 2012 again in Rio for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). With this meeting, countless people are expecting that concrete measures are taken on the path to a more equitable and sustainable development. In a world where millions of people lack … Continue reading
23/05/2012
The role of Church actors in the European Cohesion Policy (EN)
Press Release
Towards a new economic model, based on solidarity and responsibility: The European Social Market Economy
In response to the economic and financial crisis currently hitting Europe, the COMECE Bishops propose that the Common Market evolves towards the concept of a Social Market Economy in order for the EU to become a viable ‘Community of Solidarity and Responsibility’. By means of this Statement, which will be unveiled on 12 January 2012 in Brussels, the Bishops of the Commission of the Bishops’ … Continue reading