Category Archives: Press

International Religious Freedom, Policy Areas, Press

Event

Seminar on Discrimination of Christians in Europe

For the second consecutive year, COMECE organises a half-day Seminar on Intolerance and Discrimination of Christians in Europe in cooperation with the Group of European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR Group) and the Group of the European People’s Party (EPP Group) in the European Parliament. Tuesday, 2nd October 9.30 – 13.00 Room JAN 6Q2 European Parliament, Brussels Interpretation : FR, DE, ES, EN, IT, PL This … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

News

Horizon 2020: The new ethical framework proposed is weaker than the current one

In Autumn this year the ITRE Committee (Industry, Research and Energy) of the European Parliament will vote the package of proposals for Horizon 2020, the EU’s new programme for research and innovation running from 2014 to 2020 with an €87 billion budget. Some major ethical problems remain and it appears that on many aspects the new framework is even weaker than the current one. In … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

News

Intergenerational Solidarity deserves full support by the EU and Member States in order to overcome the economic and demographic crises

Intergenerational Solidarity was at the heart of this year’s annual summit meeting of European Faith leaders with the Presidents of the EU Institutions. This was the eighth such high-level meeting which took place at the invitation of President José Manuel Barroso and was co-chaired by Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council and László Surján, Vice-President of the European Parliament. The European Commission maintains … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Churches and their organisations: a substantial contribution to the social infrastructure in Europe

The future of the European cohesion policy is presently under discussion in the European Council and the European Parliament. Regional policy is an expression of solidarity within the European Union. For Christians, solidarity is a natural expression of their faith. The Churches are convinced that, particularly at a time when the European unification process is facing a severe test, the European regional policy is of … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Latest COMECE Reflections on Science and Bioethics

How can we deal with patients in state of post-coma unresponsiveness? What are the prospects for human enhancement by technological means? How can we fight organ trafficking and transplant tourism? What exactly are sexual and reproductive health rights? These are very technical yet nevertheless crucial topics with which EU lawmakers are more and more confronted. In order to offer an insight into the ethical implications … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Press Release

Our common responsibility for tomorrow’s world Statement of the President of COMECE to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) Rio +20

Twenty years after the first “Earth Summit” in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Heads of State and Government meet in June 2012 again in Rio for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD). With this meeting, countless people are expecting that concrete measures are taken on the path to a more equitable and sustainable development. In a world where millions of people lack … Continue reading »

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

News

Christians in the Arab World: One year after the Arab Spring

To what extent is the ‘Arab Spring’ meeting the demands for more liberal values such as democracy and human rights? Will the diverse communities and cultures be respected? These were some of the questions raised during a half-day seminar on Wednesday 9 May, which was co-organised by the EPP and ECR political groups together with COMECE. Witnesses hailing from different parts of the Middle East … Continue reading »

International Religious Freedom, Policy Areas, Press

Press Release

Dialogue Seminar with the EU Commision on Religious – Freedom Freedom of Religion: the EU should set the standard on this central Human Right

In every country where the people’s rights of freedom of religion has been violated – and even threatened -, the society itself is at risk. Freedom of Religion is actually an important indicator for assessing the implementation of Fundamental Rights as a whole. The EU should therefore more clearly monitor violations of Freedom of Religion both within the EU and throughout the world. This was … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

“We are at a decisive moment for the future of Europe”

This is the statement of Cardinal Reinhard Marx after his election as the new President of the Commission of Catholic Bishops’ Conferences in the EU. The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was elected by the Bishop Members on 22 March 2012 for a 3-year term of office as the COMECE Chair. He will be assisted by four Vice-Presidents: Mgr Gianni Ambrosio (Bishop of Piacenza-Bobbio, Italy), … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

Opening Speech of Mgr van Luyn-COMECE Plenary

In his opening Speech, COMECE President Bishop Adrianus van Luyn, whose mandate as a COMECE Chair is about to end, made a review of the events which have marked the European Union in the past months. In the context of the EU enlargement to Croatia and the start of negotiations with Serbia, he stressed the vital importance of reconciliation in the Balkan region, recalling that … Continue reading »