Category Archives: Press

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

A long term European political vision is needed to overcome the crisis

In the midst of the Financial Crisis of the Eurozone, the COMECE Bishops call on the European Union and its citizens to refrain from blaming one another; instead we must assume co-responsibility for finding solutions. They call on European leaders to adopt a long-term perspective to overcome the crisis. These are the main messages of the Autumn Plenary Assembly of COMECE, which took place on … Continue reading »

Plenary Assembly, Press

Press Release

COMECE Autumn Plenary 2011 – More Europe, Not Less

Economic and Political Causes of the Debt Crisis in Europe Speech given by Emmanuel van der Mensbrugghe, Director of the IMF Offices in Europe, to the COMECE Bishops Good morning. It’s great to be back in Brussels, among such a distinguished group. Europe, of course, has a great legacy of economic cooperation and coordination. The process of European integration—culminating in economic and monetary union among … Continue reading »

Ethics, Research & Health, Policy Areas, Press

News

Human embryos cannot be patented

COMECE welcomes the Judgement of the European Court of Justice (ECJ). In the Case Oliver Brüstle v Greenpeace, the ECJ, in a preliminary ruling, decided that destructive research on human embryo cannot be patented. In this context, the ECJ had to give a clear legal interpretation of the concept of “human embryo”. This concept remained not defined in Directive 98/44/EC. The Court now defines a … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Event

Invitation “Laborem exercens” Conference

“Human work is a key, probably the essential key, to the whole social question, if we try to see that question really from the point of view of man’s good. And if the social question (…) must be sought in the direction of “making life more human”, then the key, namely human work, acquires fundamental and decisive importance.” Laborem exercens On the occasion of the … Continue reading »

Press

Press Release

Reconciliation, demographic change and famine in Africa on the agenda of the meeting of Churches with the Polish EU Presidency

As part of the series of regular encounters between Churches and an incoming EU Presidency, a delegation of Polish and European Church representatives was received by the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Radosław Sikorski on 28 July 2011 in Warsaw. They had an exchange of views concerning a series of topics related to the political agenda of the Polish Presidency. The Eastern Partnership is one … Continue reading »

Migration & Asylum, Policy Areas, Press

News

Roma Inclusion: a Need, a Challenge and a Duty

This was the topic of the Dialogue Seminar which took place this 27 June at the European Commission. About 12 million Roma live throughout Europe today. To foster their inclusion, the EU recently adopted an EU framework for national Roma integration strategies up to 2020. Churches welcomed the adoption of this framework, especially as it looks beyond the current EU and considers support to enlargement … Continue reading »

Policy Areas, Press, Social & Economic Affairs

Event

Invitation Sunday protection Conference

COMECE is a supporter of the European Sunday Alliance, a network of national Sunday Alliances, trade unions, civil society organizations and religious communities committed to raise awareness of the unique value of synchronised free time for our European societies. In the context of the revision of the Working Time Directive, the European Sunday Alliance intends to highlight the “added value” of the synchronisation of free … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

News

Faith leaders and EU Institutions are ready to join forces to advance democratisation and peace in the southern Mediterranean

The Arab Spring 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 seventh such high-level meeting which took place at the invitation of President José Manuel Barroso and was co-chaired by Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament and Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council. Having experienced a … Continue reading »

Justice & Fundamental Rights, Policy Areas, Press

News

COMECE welcomes the new Transparency Register as a positive signal which deserves full support

Today, the European Parliament endorsed the setting-up of a common Commission/Parliament ‘Transparency Register’, creating the conditions for its official launch next June. This decision affects thousands of organisations, which liaise with the EU Institutions. COMECE welcomes this common Register as an instrument that will make the legislative and policy-making process more transparent at the EU level. Transparency is valued by the Catholic Church as an … Continue reading »

EU External Affairs, Policy Areas, Press

News

The COMECE Bishops welcome the Arab Spring as a sign of hope

After decades of diplomatic deadlock and conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa, the COMECE Bishops now see in the Arab Spring a clear sign of hope. The popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other Arab countries represent a legitimate claim for freedom and human dignity for millions of people. This is the main message of the Spring Plenary Assembly of COMECE, which … Continue reading »