Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community

The Commission of the Bishops ' Conferences of the European Community (Latin: Commissio Episcopatum Communitatis Europensis (COMECE ) ) consists of the delegated bishops of the episcopal conferences together on the European Union ( EU) area. Your permanent secretariat is based in Brussels. The Commission currently consists of 24 permanent members (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, England and Wales, France, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Lithuania, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Scandinavia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Hungary - and the Archbishop of Luxembourg ) and two associate members (Croatia and Switzerland ).

Historical Background

The discussions in the 70s on the establishment of a connection means between the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community and eventually led in 1979 - shortly before the first direct elections to the European Parliament - the decision to establish this Commission. COMECE was founded on March 3, 1980.

Structure and Functioning

The members elect an Executive Committee consisting of the President, the two Vice-Presidents and the Secretary General. The permanent Secretariat headed by the Secretary-General ensures the continuity of work. Two times a year to meet the Bishops to the assembly, the Apostolic Nuncio regularly participates in the. The General Assembly determines the basic lines of work. COMECE is funded by the European Bishops' Conferences.

Tasks and objectives

COMECE sees itself as a European component to the creation of a united Europe, is the definition of their tasks and goals:

  • Observe and analyze political developments in the European Union.
  • Inform Within the Church on the developments in EU policy and legislation and arouse interest for it.
  • On the basis of Christian social doctrine promote reflection on the challenges of a united Europe.

Bureau and members

  • President: Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, elected on 22 March 2012
  • Vice-Presidents: Gianni Ambrosio Bishop of Piacenza - Bobbio, Italy
  • Virgil Bercea Bishop of Oradea Mare, Romania
  • Janusz Stepnowski Bishop of Łomża, Poland
  • Jean Kockerols, Auxiliary Bishop of Mechelen -Brussels, Belgium

Delegates bishops:

  • António Augusto dos Santos Marto, Bishop of Leiria- Fátima
  • Czeslaw Kozon, Bishop of Copenhagen
  • Nikolaos Foskolos, Archbishop of Athens
  • Adolfo Gonzalez Montes, Bishop of Almeria
  • Rimantas Norvila, Bishop of Vilkaviškis
  • Christo Proykov, Apostolic Exarch of Sofia, President of the Episcopal Conference
  • Jean -Claude Hollerech, Archbishop of Luxembourg
  • Egon Kapellari, Bishop of Graz- Seckau
  • William Kenney CP, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham
  • Christian Kratz, Auxiliary Bishop of Strasbourg
  • Peter Moran, Bishop Emeritus of Aberdeen
  • January Baxant, Bishop of Leitmeritz
  • Mario Grech, Bishop of Gozo
  • Jozef Haľko, Auxiliary Bishop in Bratislava
  • Marjan Turnšek, Archbishop of Maribor
  • Zbigņevs Stankevičs, Archbishop of Riga
  • Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down and Connor
  • Ferenc Cserháti, Auxiliary Bishop of Esztergom- Budapest
  • Joseph Soueif, Archbishop of Cyprus
  • Cornelis Theodorus Maria Hoogenboom, Auxiliary Bishop of Utrecht
  • Philippe Jean -Charles Jourdan, Administrator of the Apostolic Administration of Estonia

Departments and Research Topics

  • Church, religion and Europe: Roman Catholic Church in Europe, ecumenism, dialogue with other religions, Church and State in Europe
  • The EU in the world: foreign and security policy, trade policy and global governance, development policy
  • The European social model: Social Issues, information society, research and bioethics, education and youth
  • Law and Justice: Human rights, asylum and migration, legal issues, Church and State in Europe
  • Future of the EU: European integration, Europeanization of the Union.

Chairman

Roman Catholic Diocese of Piacenza-Bobbio Roman Catholic Diocese of Oradea Mare Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church Jean-Claude Hollerich Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen Roman Catholic Diocese of Litoměřice Roman Catholic Diocese of Gozo Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bratislava Roman Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor Philippe Jean-Charles Jourdan Right of asylum Ad van Luyn Episcopal Conference of Albania Episcopal Conference of Belgium Episcopal Conference of Bulgaria Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales Holy Synod of Catholic Bishops of Greece Italian Episcopal Conference Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference Croatian Bishops' Conference Latvian Bishops' Conference Lithuanian Bishops' Conference Scandinavian Bishops Conference Polish Episcopal Conference Portuguese Episcopal Conference Bishops' Conference of Scotland Swiss Bishops Conference International Bishops' Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius Conference of Slovak Bishops Slovenian Bishops' Conference Spanish Episcopal Conference Czech Bishops' Conference Catholic Bishops' Conference of Hungary Ukrainian Episcopal Conference Integrated Authority File
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