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.
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 »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Youth Unemployment: ‘Church plays vital role’, say MEP and EU Commission

40 participants took part in a COMECE-Don Bosco international debate on Tackling Youth Unemployment in Europe – A Catholic Church’s Perspective. Mgr. Adrianus van Luyn, representatives from EU institutions and the European Youth Forum discussed with Iván Toscano, expert on Vocational Education and Training at Don Bosco (Italy), the effectiveness of the EU instruments to tackle youth unemployment. Panellists encouraged the EU to strengthen the … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Invitation

Tackling Youth Unemployment in Europe a Catholic Church’s Perspective

In October, the European Commission presented a first evaluation of its measures aimed at reducing youth unemployment. The communication acknowledged that the Youth Guarantee and the Employment Initiative contributed to the decrease of youth unemployment since 2013. Evening debate – Tuesday 6 December 2016, 18.30 Organised by Don Bosco International and COMECE Venue: COMECE Secretariat, 19, Square de Meeûs, B-1050 Brussels In a joint evening … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

COMECE contribution to a European Pillar of Social Rights

Transformative changes in the labour market as well as growing economic and social divergence in the EU call for concerted actions at the European level. COMECE therefore supports the proposed initiative of the European Pillar of Social Rights and submitted its contribution to the EU consultation. The document that was elaborated by the COMECE Social Affairs Commission together with the COMECE Secretariat focuses on Divergence … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Social europe: a better work-life balance is needed

COMECE participated in the launch of a Resolution for a better work-life-balance and synchronized free time in the age of digitalisation. The pledge was launched by the European Sunday Alliance on the occasion of the Conference Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in a time of digitalisation. The Resolution is aimed at activating civil society and politicians to use the opportunities for a better work-life-balance and to … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Invitation

Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in a Time of Digitalisation

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 »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Catholic Church and the European Solidarity September

The sixteenth edition of the conference on the role of the Catholic Church in the process of European integration co-organised by COMECE together with partners in Cracow, on September 21-22, 2016 focused this time on four specific issues imperatively necessitating solidarity in the EU, namely the solidarity in security and defence policy, solidarity towards the challenges of migrations and asylum, solidarity in reference to the … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Decision of the EU Commission on fiscal matters

The Secretariat of COMECE takes note of the recent decision of the European Commission to deal with tax optimization for multinational companies in terms of competition policy. The COMECE Secretariat will closely monitor the implementation of this approach in all Member States. In a context of growing poverty in Europe, many citizens regard practices that enable multinational companies to pay little or no tax on … Continue reading »