Category Archives: Press

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 »

EU External Affairs, Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

News

COMECE meets with EU Commissioner Várhelyi: “the Mediterranean as a place of peaceful encounters”

A COMECE delegation met with Mr. Olivér Várhelyi, EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, on Monday 18 January 2021, to offer policy recommendations on a people-centred and fair future Southern Partnership. The document presented to the EU Commissioner was elaborated by COMECE in dialogue with local Church authorities. Last year, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Union for the Mediterranean, the EU … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE addresses the EU Commission on Covid-19 strategy – “It is crucial to maintain the dialogue with Churches”

On the occasion of the last 2020 meeting of the COMECE Standing Committee on Tuesday 15 December 2020, the Bishops also addressed the European Commission Strategy on “Staying safe from Covid-19 during winter”. While welcoming the efforts for a coordinated and sustainable EU approach against the current pandemic, COMECE urges the European institutions to consult with Churches and religious communities especially when considering recommendations that … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE assesses the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum: “put Human dignity and Common Good at the centre of the future negotiations”

In view of the International Migrants Day, the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) calls upon the EU and its Member States to put the human dignity and the common good at the centre of the future negotiations on the recently proposed EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The statement, published on Wednesday 16 December 2020, includes policy recommendations elaborated by … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

COMECE Legal Affairs Commission: children and their rights as a EU priority

The  COMECE Legal Affairs Commission  met on Thursday 3 December 2020 to exchange on current EU and national initiatives in the area of fundamental rights. The event took place by video conference due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis under the chairmanship of H. E. Mgr. Theodorus C. M. Hoogenboom, Auxiliary Bishop of Utrecht. The meeting prioritesed the situation of children in the Europea Union. In … 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 »

Ecology & Sustainability, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Webinar – “Faith, Science and Youth: A call for an ambitious climate summit”

On the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and in view of the upcoming Climate Ambition Summit 2020, the Vatican Covid-19 Commission and its partners, including the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), invite you to participate in the webinar “Faith, Science and Youth: A call for an ambitious climate summit”, to be held on Wednesday 9 December … Continue reading »