Dialogue with European Political Institutions

2014 Dialogue Seminar

Dialogue seminar at the European Commission.

A significant part of CEC work is dialogue with political institutions in Brussels and Strasbourg, especially the European Union and the Council of Europe. We monitor and analyse the activity of the EU, and provide our Member Churches with regular information and opportunity for engagement.

Dialogue with the European Institutions takes place under Article 17 of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union. This is a commitment of the EU to open, transparent, and regular dialogue with churches and religious communities.

We often partner with Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), and others in our dialogue with the EU.

CEC dialogue with the EU includes :

  • Regular dialogue seminars with the European Commission on topics of shared concern (e.g., the integration of migrants, human trafficking, social issues, human rights, environment).
  • Meetings with the presidency of the Council of the EU. CEC brings representatives from local churches into direct dialogue with the EU through these meetings.
  • High-level religious leaders’ meeting at the European Commission, an interfaith gathering where senior religious leaders enjoy an open exchange of views with the EU institutions.
  • Ad-hoc meetings, workshops, and conferences with participation from church representatives and experts, and representatives of political institutions (e.g., religious freedom, climate change, divestment in fossil fuels)
  • Contributions to public consultations organised by the EU (e.g. consultation on EU neighbourghood policy, EU guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of belief)

 

 



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