Category Archives: Press

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Strasbourg: Parliament says yes to negotiation on the Audiovisual Media Service Directive

The Plenary of the European Parliament has approved the CULT Committee decision to enter into negotiations with the Council and the Commission on the revision of the Audiovisual Media Service Directive. COMECE welcomes this vote and encourages the EU institutions to prioritise child protection in the forthcoming negotiations. COMECE considers that the CULT Committee text on which the negotiations will be based could have been … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

(Re)thinking Europe Dialogue: COMECE Presidency meets with Pope Francis

Pope Francis met COMECE Standing Committee in Santa Martha at the Vatican last Tuesday in preparation of “Rethinking Europe”, the major high-level Forum of Dialogue that COMECE is organizing in collaboration with the Holy See in Rome on October 2017. During a two-days visit to Rome and the Vatican City, COMECE Standing Committee met several European and Vatican authorities in order to discuss the main … Continue reading »

Ecology & Sustainability, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

COMECE welcomes EP resolution on Food Waste

Statement of Fr. Olivier Poquillon OP, secretary general of COMECE, on today’s adoption of a resolution by the European Parliament on «Resource efficiency: reducing food waste, improving food safety». In recent years Pope Francis has repeatedly spoken out against the scandal of food waste. He criticized a throwaway culture that “made us insensitive to wasting and throwing out excess foodstuffs, which is especially condemnable when … Continue reading »

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

NEWS

National Council of Churches of Kenya visits COMECE

COMECE received a delegation from the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) led by its General Secretary Rev. Canon Peter Karanja. The delegation came to Brussels to draw attention to the fragile political situation in Kenya ahead of the upcoming national elections In cooperation with the Catholic Church in Kenya, NCCK is closely monitoring the political processes during and after the elections slated for … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

Digital economy: COMECE discusses best practices with MEPs

In a breakfast meeting with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), COMECE discussed on Thursday best practices to ensure a decent work-life balance for the ongoing process of digitalisation of the world of labour. The event was organized by the European Sunday Alliance as a follow-up to last year’s conference “Work-Life-Balance 4.0 – Challenges in a time of digitalisation”, and gathered a group of 60 … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

COMECE contribution on the legal status of robots

Robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) present new legal and ethical challenges both in terms of liability and responsibility. COMECE welcomes the debate on this theme at the EU level, and cautions against potential risks deriving from according legal personality to robots. The Commission has launched a consultation on the EU Directive on liability for defective products witch guarantees the liability of the producer in case … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

European pillar of social rights: an important step towards a social market economy

COMECE welcomes the Commission Recommendation establishing the European Pillar of Social Rights, which was presented this 26 April. The initiative is an important step towards the European Treaties objective of a social market economy. “The first element of European vitality must be solidarity”, emphasised Pope Francis in his address to EU leaders on 24 March 2017 in Rome. The Commission Recommendations establishing the European Pillar … Continue reading »

International Religious Freedom, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

“EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief. What’s next?”

COMECE and the EPP Group organise a Conference in the European Parliament titled “EU Guidelines on Freedom of Religion or Belief. What’s next?” The main objective of the event is to provide a platform to discuss religious and intercultural aspects of different EU policy areas. In June 2013, the Council adopted the “EU Guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief” … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Audiovisual media services: positive steps but stronger child protection still needed

The current EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive governs EU coordination of national legislation on all audiovisual media, both traditional TV broadcasts and on-demand services. In a vote on 25 March, the Culture & Education Committee of the European Parliament voted in favour of maintaining in the revised Directive all references to the “moral” development of minors with regard to contents that may impair it. COMECE … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

The European Solidarity Corps needs a dedicated budget

COMECE supports the general idea of creating a European Solidarity Corps, but encourages the EU to quickly provide an own funding line and to develop a wider strategy on volunteering. In December 2016, the EU Commission launched the European Solidarity Corps, which enables young people between the ages of 18 and 30 to take part in solidarity activities. Although more than 24,000 participants have already … Continue reading »