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

COMECE welcomes the European Commission’s Action Plan on the Social Pillar: “A step for a more inclusive and fairer EU”

The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) welcomes the long-awaited Action Plan delivered by the European Commission in March 2021 to further implement the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR). EU Bishops: “It is an important step to build a more inclusive and fairer European Union”. The Action Plan sets out three EU targets to achieve by 2030 in the areas … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

The European Sunday Alliance releases statement on synchronised free time in the EU

The European Sunday Alliance calls on EU political leaders “to put synchronised free time as a priority on the social policy agenda”. In a statement released on Wednesday 3 March 2021, the Alliance – of which COMECE is a member – encourages the EU Commission to align its upcoming proposal for a directive on a right to disconnect with Article 2 of the Council of … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Social Affairs Commission: “Towards a just social and green recovery”

The EU strategies for recovery from the ongoing Covid-19 and climate crisis was the main focus of discussion of the COMECE Social Affairs Commission, which was held online on Monday 30 November and Tuesday 1st December 2020, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mgr. Antoine Hérouard. Building on its May 2020 statement “Let Europe recover through justice”, the Social Affairs Commission dedicated its work on the … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

The COMECE Social Affairs Commission releases statement on proposed EU recovery plan

In the context of the current Covid-19 pandemic and its dramatic effects on all EU Member States, on Thursday 28 May 2020 the COMECE Social Affairs Commission releases the statement “Let Europe recover through justice”, giving the contribution of the Catholic Church to the proposed EU recovery plan. Mgr. Hérouard: “The EU has the opportunity to take an important step forward in asserting and expressing … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Catholic NGOs and COMECE on human rights violations in a globalised economy

In the follow up of the Future of Work Reflection, on 27-28 January 2020 COMECE hosted a 2-day capacity-building seminar gathering Catholic-inspired organisations to discuss possible ways to improve people’s working conditions in the global value chain. The event comes after two years of work in which Catholic grassroot organisations and Christian social movements collected cases of human rights violations in the globalized economy. Based … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

What is the link between Tax Justice and Poverty?

COMECE, together with the Jesuit Provincial Conferences from Europe and Africa, held a conference on Wednesday 11 December 2019 on the link between “Tax justice and poverty”. Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto: “taxes should be thesteering wheel of the economy towards ecological and social justice”. The event gathered selected representatives of the EU Commission, Church and civil society, experts on fair taxation in Europe and Africa, … Continue reading »