Redazione

Technical measures and political initiatives constitute the policy mix contained in the Communication with which Brussels intends to achieve a real internal energy market, defined as a “strategic means to guarantee fair prices for citizens and businesses”. The Executive’s proposals, in the framework of its programme for European energy policy, are aimed at the achievement […]

In the framework of the new EU energy policy and the actions linked to it (see above), the European Commission has dedicated a specific Communication to research on the production of sustainable electrical energy from fossil fuels, so as to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (Co2) generated by combustion. The main target of the […]

“Reduction by approximately 13% of its own energy consumption over the present level, with a saving of 100 billion Euros and some 780 million tons of carbon dioxide per year”. That’s the declared objective of the new Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, to remain in force till 2013. It contains some eighty measures aimed at […]

The European Commission last week adopted a package of measures “to institute a new energy policy for Europe aimed at combating climate change and reinforcing the energy security and competitiveness of the EU”. The proposal reaffirms the objective spelt out by Brussels at the end of the year to conclude a new international accord between […]

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

More speeches than legislation; many projects, less concrete decisions: The plenary session of the European Parliament, held in Strasbourg from 15 to 18 January, was characterised by the welcome given to the new MEPs from Bulgaria and Romania, by the election of the President of the EP and by the debate on the programme of […]

PORTUGAL

A referendum on the de-penalization of the voluntary interruption of abortion will be held in Portugal on 11 February. The Portuguese Bishops’ Conference (CEP) has long been mobilizing in defence of life by publishing a series of statements, texts and documents, and by inviting diocesan bishops to promote initiatives in view of the vote. Abortion […]

GERMANY

“The contribution, even financial, given by the Catholic and Evangelical Churches to the cultural life of Germany is enormous, but unrecognised”. To place the importance of the Churches in this field at the centre of public attention, Herder-Korrespondenz, in its December edition, presented a study on the commitment of the Church (in particular that of […]

The last number of “Presence”, the magazine of the Turkish Catholic Church, published in recent days, is entirely dedicated to Benedict XVI’s visit to the country last November. “We experienced this visit as a time of grace”, writes the apostolic vicar of Istanbul, Msgr. Louis Pelâtre, in his editorial. He recalls all the phases of […]

The new challenge for the Greek-Catholic Church of Ukraine is that of working for emigrants. Discussion focused on this aspect of pastoral care in the Curia of the archdiocese of Lvov for Catholics of Byzantine rite in Ukraine, at a meeting with rectors of seminaries of Byzantine rite and religious superiors. According to Cardinal Lubomyr […]

The family based on marriage “is still the best foundation for the successful life of the couple and solidarity between the generations”, declared Cardinal Georg Sterzinsky. The cardinal was speaking in Cologne on the occasion of Family Sunday that the German Catholic Church celebrated on 14 January and that marked the start of the third […]