31/01/2014
COMECE Contribution to the Consultation on the future of Home Affairs policies “An open and safe Europe – What next” (EN)
Press Release
COMECE-CEC joint statement following on the meeting with the Greek EU Presidency. “Social Cohesion in the EU must be strengthened”
On 10 January 2014, three days after the official start of the Greek EU Presidency, the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister with specific responsibility for European Affairs, Dimitris KOURKOULAS, received a delegation of senior Greek and European churchmen in Athens. Also in attendance were senior officials from the Foreign Ministry. The aim of this meeting, one in a long-standing series of high-level encounters between Church representatives … Continue reading
News
COMECE General Secretary visits Caritas projects in Greece
On Saturday 11 January the COMECE General Secretary, Father Patrick H. Daly, paid a visit to the offices of CARITAS Greece at 52 Kapodistriou Street in downtown Athens. He was received by Father Andreas Voutsinos (Director CARITAS Greece), Nikos A. Voutsinos, responsible for the Refugee Programme and Evelyn Karastamati, Coordinator of the ELPIS Project. He was fully briefed on the work of CARITAS for the … Continue reading
19/12/2013
Contribution to the consultation on the future of EU justice policies? in the light of the Union’s achievements (EN)
News
Europe: a roadmap to Peace
On the occasion of the Lithuanian EU Presidency, a delegation of Lithuanian Catholic Bishops visited the EU institutions at the invitation of COMECE. Led by Mgr Rimantas Norvila, the Lithuanian delegate to COMECE, the six bishops came from 1st- 4 December on a fact-finding mission, anxious to become familiar with the EU and its institutions. They were briefed by several Catholic NGOs. They had meetings … Continue reading
News
Horizon 2020 : The EU should not fund research on human embryonic stem cells
The success of the recent citizens initiative “One of Us” finally ought to convince the EU Parliament to end the financing of research activities which presuppose the destruction of human embryos. The EU should not ignore the will of nearly 1.9 million EU citizens who signed this initiative. The European Parliament is about to vote on “Horizon 2020”, the European Union’s new programme for research … Continue reading
News
A humane approach to migration
The shipwreck, in which over three hundred migrants lost their lives in a vain attempt to reach the island of Lampedusa on 3 October last, made migration a banner headline issue in most European countries. It captured our hearts but it also focused our minds on the plight of migrants and how we were treating them. Yet it is sobering to remember that upwards of … Continue reading
Press Release
‘Migration and Integration in the EU’ COMECE Plenary Assembly 13-15 November in Brussels
Europe is a continent on the move. Internal migration and migration from outside, not least in pursuit of political asylum, has impacted on the lives of all communities within all Member States and communities of the EU. The Church is deeply concerned for the situation of refugees and asylum seekers, especially after the tragedy off Lampedusa. ‘Migration and Integration’ will be the main topic of … Continue reading
News
Do not be misled: abortion is not a EU competence
In the context of the Vote today at the European Parliament of an own initiative Report on “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights” which includes abortion, COMECE recalls that the EU has no competence in regard to this matter. EU citizens should not be misled. Article 168 § 7of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU states that the ‘‘Union action shall respect the … Continue reading
News
Churches on Climate Change: a matter of Solidarity and Global Justice
In light of the IPCC’s 5th Assessment report, and in advance of the Warsaw Climate Change Conference, a one day seminar entitled “Environmental protection and climate change as a challenge for policies – the role of ethics, lifestyles, solidarity and global justice” has concluded. Organised jointly by the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Commission of the Episcopates … Continue reading