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

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 »

Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

COMECE Social Affairs Commission discuss key policy areas for a just ecological transition

Under the chairmanship of H.E. Mgr. Antoine Hérouard, the COMECE Social Affairs Commission gathered in Brussels on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 November 2019 to exchange views on key EU challenges towards integral ecology and a just transition. The meeting was held in dialogue with EU representatives, experts and Church inspired organisations. During the event, experts delegated by EU Bishops’ Conferences, as well as by … Continue reading »

Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

2019 World Day of the Poor COMECE and Caritas Europa encourage the EU to address the structural causes of poverty

On the occasion of the World Day of the Poor, which will be celebrated on Sunday 17 November 2019, COMECE and Caritas Europaencourage the European institutions and the Member States to enhance their social policies in order to combat the structural causes of poverty, promoting integral human development and putting an end to poverty in the EU. According to recent statistics, nearly a fifth of … Continue reading »