The plenary assembly of COMECE (Commission of the episcopates of the European Community) will meet in Brussels on 22 and 23 November. It will bring together the representatives of the Episcopal Conferences of the 15 member countries of the European Union plus the representatives of the episcopates of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland. “The bishops of COMECE explains its spokesman, John Coughlan will discuss the challenges that the European Union is called to tackle following the terrorist attacks of 11 September”. The participants will have a chance to exchange views with the representatives of the EU. In particular, in the course of the COMECE assembly, the delegates will be addressed by Antonio Vitorino, Commissioner for justice and internal affairs, who will speak of the developments and prospects for a further European integration in this field; by Philippe Morillon, MEP, who will tackle the question of the importance of interreligious dialogue for the peace and security of the euro-Mediterranean region, and by Cristoph Heusgen, director of the political unit of the EU Council who will describe the efforts being made to create an effective foreign policy and system of joint security. Also on the agenda is an open session dedicated to “Europe and interreligious dialogue”: reports on the question will be given by Archbishop Bernard Panafieu of Marseilles and coordinator of the Committee for interreligious relations of the French Episcopal Conference and Francisco-Javier Conde de Saro, permanent representative of Spain at the European Union. COMECE was founded on 3 March 1980 with the approval of the Holy See. At the present time it consists of the delegate bishops of fourteen Episcopal Conferences of the EU: Austria, Belgium, England and Wales, France, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia, Scotland, and Spain. Episcopal Conferences “associated” with COMECE are the Czech Republic, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland. The Apostolic Nuncio at the EU also attends the plenary assemblies of COMECE in the role of observer. The organization holds two plenary assemblies each year, generally in the spring and autumn.
