Category Archives: Press

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 »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE facilitates Albanian Church delegation’s visit to the EU

In the context of the current debate on the future of the EU enlargement process, COMECE received H.E. Mgr. George Frendo OP and H.E. Mgr. Gjergj Meta, respectively President and General Secretary of the Albanian Bishops’ Conference on 3-4 February 2020. They met with high-level representatives of the EU and of the Church to exchange on challenges and opportunities for Albania’s EU integration. The visit … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE establishes a dialogue with the Court of Justice of the EU

On Friday 31 January 2020, a COMECE delegation met with several judges of the Court of Justice of the EU to discuss the increasing impact of the Court’s jurisprudence in the Member States’ legal systems. Mgr. Hoogenboom: “this fruitful dialogue enriched the COMECE Legal Affairs Commission and brought to the attention of the judges legal specificities and some key points of the Catholic Church in … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

COMECE unveils a new logo in celebration of its upcoming 40th anniversary

COMECE unveils the redesigning of its logo in view of its 40th anniversary. Fr. Manuel Barrios Prieto, COMECE General Secretary: “fresh and modern, our new logo looks towards present and future challenges for the Church and the European Union”. With a flat two-dimensional design, clean lines and essential elements, the new version of the COMECE logo is part of a series of redesigns taking place … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE Presidency: “Brexit will not succeed in shattering EU-UK fraternal relations”

In the context of the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union, the COMECE Standing Committee has elaborated a declaration on the topic. Although saddened by this event, the COMECE Standing Committee respect the will expressed by the British citizens during the 2016 Referendum and assure that, “even though the UK will no longer be part of the EU, it will still continue … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Pope Francis offers blessings to COMECE and CEC on their anniversaries

On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and at the end of the 60th anniversary of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), Pope Francis offered his blessings to both organisations. The Pope conveyed his appreciation for the work of the Brussels-based Christian organisations in a private audience with COMECE President, H. Em. Card. … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Key topics for the Church addressed with the General Secretaries of EU Bishops’ Conferences

For the third consecutive year the General Secretaries of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU gathered in Brussels on Thursday 30 January 2020 to nurture their effective cooperation with COMECE in view of a strong contribution to the dialogue with the EU institutions. Participants analysed the new settings of the European institutions, following the last EU elections held in May 2019. In this context, the … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

News

Integral human development: how can the EU enhance partnerships with religious actors?

On Thursday 23 January 2020 COMECE hosted a dialogue meeting between Churches, faith-based actors, as well as international and European policy-makers, on how to enhance the cooperation among actors working in the field of integral and sustainable human development. Co-organised with Caritas Europa in the context of on-going negotiations on the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the meeting highlighted the important role of Churches and … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

News

Liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau: 75th anniversary. Bishops across Europe: “No to antisemitism and political manipulation of the truth”

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, COMECE and CCEE, on behalf of the bishops of the EU and Europe, express their commitment to fight “all acts that trample on human dignity”, including racism, xenophobia and antisemitism. In the spirit of the message addressed by Pope Francis to the “Simon Wiesenthal Center” on Monday 20 January 2020, … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Churches-EU Dialogue: COMECE and CEC meet with the Croatian EU Presidency

An ecumenical delegation composed of representatives from Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and the Conference of European Churches (CEC) met in Zagreb on Monday, 20 January 2020 with Mr. Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of Croatia, to exchange on the priorities of the Croatian Presidency of the EU Council, which started on 1 January 2020. The delegation led by H. Em. Card. Jean-Claude Hollerich SJ, President … Continue reading »