Category Archives: Press

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

EU Bishops to meet with European Commission’s Vice President Margaritis Schinas

Delegates of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union will participate in the COMECE Spring Assembly to be held in a digital format on 17-18 March 2021 with the participation of European Commission’s Vice President Margaritis Schinas. The focus of the Assembly will be: Covid-19 recovery, Migration and Asylum policies, Freedom of Religion inside the EU. In the context of the first anniversary of the … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

News

COMECE Legal Affairs Commission addresses data protection and transparency policies

On Thursday 25 February 2021 the experts of the COMECE Legal Affairs Commission  met online to exchange on EU and Member States’ legal developments affecting fundamental rights. Under the chairmanship of H.E. Mgr. Theodorus C. M. Hoogenboom, legal advisors mandated by Bishops’ Conferences discussed with representatives of the European Commission on two of the most current EU dossiers. With regard to the EU Directive on … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, International Religious Freedom, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Webinar: Religious and political implications of Pope Francis’ historic journey to Iraq

The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) are pleased to invite you to join a webinar on the political and religious implications of Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Iraq. The webinar, under the theme “You are all brothers” will take place on Monday 15 March 2021, from 18:00 to 19:30 (CET). Pope Francis’ historic visit to Iraq was … 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 »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

EU Foundational Principles Demand Vaccine Equity

The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and Caritas Europa are urging the EU institutions to ensure vaccine access for all, promoting a “widescale vaccination not only for Europe´s own safety and protection, but also for global public health as a public good”. With the COVID-19 pandemic having already entered into its second year, COMECE and Caritas Europa praised the swift … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE-FAFCE joint Webinar on “The Elderly and the Future of Europe”

Following the publication of a joint Reflection Paper on “The Elderly and the Future of Europe“, COMECE and the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe are glad to invite you to an online event to reflect on the role of the elderly in a context of pandemic and demographic change. The event will be held on Monday 1 March 2021, from 15:00 to 16:15 … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

News

COMECE contributes to EU consultation on mandatory due diligence

COMECE welcomes EU’s proposed initiative to hold businesses liable for human rights violations and environmental harm throughout their supply chains, and calls for an ambitious approach in providing victims of corporate abuses with effective access to justice. The contribution (summary available here) was jointly elaborated with CIDSE, Pax Christi International and Justice & Peace Europe. In their joint response to the recent EU consultation on … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Join the webinar “Human Dignity and Resilience: Migrants and Hosting Communities”

COMECE is pleased to invite you to participate in the “Human Dignity and Resilience: Migrants and Hosting Communities”, a webinar to be held together with Comunità di Sant’Egidio on Wednesday 17 February 2021, from 16:00 to 17:30 CET. The event is organised in the context of the COMECE’s call to “put Human dignity and Common Good at the centre of the future negotiations of the … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Churches-EU Dialogue: Ecumenical delegation meets with Portuguese EU Presidency

An ecumenical delegation of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) participated in an online meeting on 28 January 2021 with Mr Nuno Brito, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the European Union, exchanging on the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union. An important topic of discussion was the … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE President concerned for the erosion of Freedom of Religion in the Member States

In a statement published on Friday 22, January 2021, the President of COMECE, H. Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, expresses concerns for a draft law soon to be discussed in Denmark, that could impose undue hindrance on the fundamental right to freedom of religion by demanding sermons and homilies to be provided in the national language. While respecting national legislative processes, the Head of EU … Continue reading »