Category Archives: Press

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

Addressing Migration at its roots causes: How can the EU help to improve the prospects of Africa’s youth?

Event organized by COMECE, Kolping-Netzwerk für Geflüchtete, missio Aachen, and Bertelsmann Stiftung with a keynote address of Archbishop François-Xavier Maroy Rusengo (DR Congo) followed by a discussion with MEP Michael Gahler (EPP) and Jean-Louis Ville (EU Commission). A sandwich lunch will be provided at 12:30 hrs. The missio exhibition on the causes of migration and the Kolping Roadshow on integration of refugees will stimulate our … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

COMECE debates on the challenge of integration

In cooperation with the Centre for Catholic Social Science (KSZ), COMECE held on 18 and 19 May its social-ethical talks in Mönchengladbach/Germany. At the two-day meeting, about 80 scholars, politicians and representatives of the Church and its organisations exchanged their views on the topic of “Integration as a challenge – Living together in Europe”. Participants stressed the need for political actions and civic engagement in … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

Invitation

The challenge of integration – Living Together in Europe

This year’s social-ethical talks will be held on 18 and 19 May 2017. The theme of the joint meeting of KSZ and COMECE is “The challenge of integration – Living Together in Europe”. Since 2011, KSZ and COMECE have been jointly organising the Mönchengladbach (Germany) social-ethical talks with their orientation on European policies. In 2015 and 2016 more than one million migrants have come to … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

NEWS

Churches and faith-based organisations elaborate on resilience

COMECE hosted a meeting on resilience, a notion that has become increasingly important in the discourse on the European peace and security policy. 25 representatives of Churches and faith-based organisations reflected jointly on this concept and on ways of putting it into practice. From COMECE’s perspective, the human being, family and local community should build the primary focus of EU’s resilience-fostering efforts. By pursuing a … Continue reading »

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 »