Category Archives: Press

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Fostering resilience for sustainable peace

COMECE together with Justice&Peace Europe and Pax Christi International submitted a contribution to the forthcoming Joint Communication from the EU High Representative and the European Commission on resilience. The contribution entitled “Fostering resilience for sustainable peace” provides reflections and 10 concrete proposals for implementing resilience – one of EU’s strategic priorities. While welcoming the prioritisation of resilience in EU’s Global Strategy, the COMECE contribution puts … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Presidents of CEC-COMECE meet, discuss future of Europe and dialogue with President Juncker

Cardinal Marx, president of COMECE, and Rt Rev. Christopher Hill KCVO, DD, president of the Conference of European Churches met on 31 March to strengthen the ecumenical commitment of the Church to the European project, in whatever new ways are appropriate in light of current challenges. They were also received on this day by Mr Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, as part of … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

Re-thinking Europe: Bishops to launch joint reflection with high-level political representatives in Rome

At the opening of the Spring Plenary, COMECE President Cardinal Marx reaffirmed the strong support of the Catholic Church for the European project: “There is no suitable alternative to cooperation in Europe, because working together is the best way to maintain peace in Europe, to meet the economic and social challenges of globalization, and to become again a point of reference for humanity, as Pope … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

NEWS

COMECE contributes to the EU consultation on VAT rates

COMECE stresses that clear and fraud-proof Value Added Tax (VAT) rules are crucial for the functioning of the European single market, but that simplifying these rules should not take place to the detriment of the objective of a just and equitable tax system. The consultation is part of the VAT Action Plan of the European Commission. It aims to reduce complexity of VAT rules with … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Reactions of Cardinal Marx on Pope Francis’ speech to the Heads of State and Government of the EU

Pope Francis received the Heads of State and Government of 27 EU Member States on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome. In his speech, he called on them to discern “the paths of hope, identifying specific ways forward to ensure that the significant steps taken thus far have not been wasted, but serve as the pledge of a long and … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Lunch debate: Migration and Integral Human Development: 50 years after Populorum Progressio

In 2017 we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the publication of Encyclical Populorum Progressio by Pope Paul VI whose enriching reflection shifted development to the center of the question of social justice. From then on the concept of integral human development (“the good of every man and of the whole man”) entered for good into Catholic Social Teaching. War and violence, or lack of social, … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

How to implement a global concept of defence?

COMECE organised a roundtable debate on the possibilities to better articulate civilian and military aspects of a global concept of defence. 25 stakeholders from European External Action Sevice, EU Military Staff, European Commission, European Parliament as well as NATO, UN and from the humanitarian field discussed the opportunities to strengthen the coherence of civil-military relations at the European level. In the light of the current … Continue reading »

Press

NEWS

COMECE Secretary general met with Mairead McGuinness

Fr Olivier Poquillon OP met with Mairead McGuinness, for the first time after her election as the new Vice President of the European Parliament in charge of the dialogue with Religions. They exchanged views on their main points of interest and discussed the best way to allow a positive contribution of the Church to on-going debates in accordance with Article 17 TFEU.

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

NEWS

African Bishops´ Conference visits COMECE

Africa and Europe are bound together by history, geography and a common destiny. They also share a community of values on which the Bishops from Africa and Europe wish to build. To mark this close relationship, COMECE received a delegation from the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) led by its President, H.E. Gabriel Mbilingi, Archbishop of Lubango (Angola). The Vice-President of … Continue reading »