Redazione

On 22 January the European Commission proposed its updated draft reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP) (the previous draft was presented on 10 July last year). The plan envisages the cumulative reduction of direct subsidies to agriculture by 1% per year, beginning in 2007. This will involve a total reduction of subsidies equivalent to […]

The 13th plenary session of the Convention on the future of Europe tackled for the first time the issue of the reform of the Union’s institutional architecture. The debate had as its focal point the Franco-German document that proposes the election of a President of the European Council “for a long term” (from 2.5 to […]

EU: In brief" "

The Commission for Development and Cooperation of the European Parliament has adopted the report of MEP Ulla Sandbaek on the draft regulation of the EP and the Council on support for policies concerning reproductive and sexual hygiene and connected rights in the developing countries. The controversial document was subjected to much debate, since it indicated […]

European Union" "

To discuss the recent session of the Convention on the future of Europe and in particular the Franco-German proposal of dual presidency of the EU, SirEurope met Giorgos Katiforis (PSE), member of the Presidium and representative of the Greek government (which now holds the revolving presidency of the EU), and Ana de Palacio , Spanish […]

The need to help the peoples of the Holy Land to react against resignation and to foster hope with concrete signs of communion and solidarity. For, in spite of the political impasse, peace is still possible, and the vast majority of the population is on the side of those who have the courage to achieve […]

The meeting of 14-16 January 2003 in Jerusalem, attended by 25 bishops and representatives of the European and North American episcopates, as well as delegates of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and of the Commission of the episcopates of the European Community (COMECE), represents the main event planned as part of […]

“Since September 2000, i.e. since the beginning of the second Intifada, 1918 Palestinians have been killed, of whom 19% below the age of 17, and 41,000 injured, of whom 2500 permanently disabled: 720 houses have been demolished and 11,553 damaged; 185 Palestinian activists have been executed, 6,000 are still being held in prison, of whom […]

Holy Land" "

Representatives of the episcopates of England and Wales, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the USA, of the Council of the Episcopal Conference of Europe (CCEE) and the Commission of the episcopates of the European Community (COMECE) met in recent days with the patriarch of the Latins, Michel Sabbah, the Apostolic Nuncio in Israel, Pietro Sambi, […]

Usa-Iraq crisis" "

In response to the ever growing risks of a war against Iraq, the appeals of the various European episcopal conferences and ecclesial movements are multiplying. We describe some of them below. Austria “There are many arguments to rebut the claim that it’s a just war”: so said Msgr. Andreas Laun, auxiliary bishop of Salzburg, speaking […]

editorial" "

On 24 January the Church is celebrating the memory of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists. Born in Savoy in 1567, Francis studied civil and canon law in Padua, and theology in Paris. Having become a priest at the age of 26, he dedicated himself to restoring Calvinist Chablais to Catholicism, and after […]