Adopting the report of the British Labour MEP Whitehead on the proposal to establish a European Food Authority in 2002, the European Parliament has made numerous amendments to the original text, considered “not ambitious enough” and “too vague”. The European Parliament expressed the hope that the name “European Food Authority” would be replaced by “European […]

On 1st July Belgium assumed the rotating Presidency of the EU, taking over from Sweden which led the Council in the first half of 2001. As announced on more than one occasion by Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, the government’s main ambition is drafting a document for the Laeken Summit at the end of the […]

Italy’s new minister for community policies and the president of the constitutional affairs commission of the European Parliament dialogue on the reform of the Union A face to face on the “future of Europe” was held between Italy’s newly appointed minister for community policies, Rocco Buttiglione, and the president of the constitutional affairs commission of […]

In view of the forthcoming G8 summit, scheduled to be held in Genoa from 20 al 22 July, not only Catholic movement and associations, but also episcopates and groups of Catholic intellectuals throughout Europe have taken a stance on the issue of globalization and have mobilized themselves. Let’s try to explore their reasons The Catholic […]

An appeal for awareness-raising and prayer against torture was launched by the Council of the Christian Churches in France (CECEF), on the occasion of the “International Day of support for the victims of torture” held on 26 June. In making this appeal it accepted the invitation made by the association “Action of Christians for the […]

Churches that are more courageous and concrete in promoting peace at all levels: that is what is urged by the young representatives of the Lutheran churches from various European countries and elsewhere in the world. At a meeting held in Geneva at the end of June, they sent a message to the World Lutheran Federation: […]

The Christian Churches of Europe met together in Budapest to study the effects of globalization in the countries of Eastern Europe. The conference, which was held in the Hungarian capital from 23 to 29 June, was promoted by the World Council of Churches, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches (ARM) and the Conference of European […]

On behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC), a delegation visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian Territories from 27 to 30 June. The delegation met the patriarchs and the leaders of the Christian communities in Jerusalem, and the representatives of church-run institutions and ecumenical organizations. The interlocutors also included Israeli and Palestinian militants campaigning […]

The final declaration of the world congress for the abolition of capital punishment, held in Strasbourg “It is ever more urgent that the inalienable dignity of human life be universally respected and recognized due to its incalculable value… The universal abolition of the death sentence would bear courageous witness to humanity’s capacity to tackle criminality […]

The European bishops intervene on the issues of bioethics and outline a programme of work for the years ahead Protection of life, evangelization in the countries of Eastern Europe, ecumenical dialogue: these were the three main themes tackled by the secretaries of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe gathered in Prague from 21 to 25 June. […]