Regioni e città: perché l’Unione cresca dal "basso" ” “

Occhi puntati sul Comitato delle Regioni questa settimana a Bruxelles. Dal 27 al 30 settembre, infatti, è stato programmato l'”Open Days” dell’istituzione consultiva istituita dieci anni or sono grazie al Trattato di Maastricht. In calendario una settimana di avvenimenti (dibattito, seminari, mostre, visite) allo scopo di “rilanciare la centralità delle politiche regionali nell’ambito del processo […]

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Cittadini-istituzioni: la riforma della governance” “

Giudizio favorevole della Commissione sulla riforma della governance a tre anni dal Libro bianco del 2001. Gli sforzi intrapresi per “rendere più efficaci le politiche dell’Unione e per avvicinare i cittadini ai poteri pubblici” sono stati “positivi”. Lo si legge in un rapporto firmato dall’Esecutivo Prodi e diffuso nei giorni scorsi a Bruxelles dopo un […]

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L’Ue intende limitare le 48 ore settimanali di lavoro” “

Mentre in molti paesi dell’Unione si discute di provvedimenti tesi a ridurre l’orario di lavoro settimanale (compreso fra le 35 e le 40 ore), le istituzioni comunitarie stanno affrontando un documento che limita i casi in cui sia possibile introdurre un orario superiore alle 48 ore settimanali. Secondo un documento diffuso dalla Commissione, che passerà […]

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Europe-Turkey: what bridge?” “

The report of the European Commission on the state of implementation of reforms in Turkey will be published on 6 October. It will contain a recommendation on whether it is appropriate or not to open negotiations with the country for membership of the EU. Ankara will have to meet the democratic criteria laid own by […]

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Living in clandestinity ” “

The German bishops, meeting for their traditional autumn assembly from 20-23 September, discussed the question of “mission”, convinced of the need to widen its fundamental concepts. But this month the German Catholic Church is also the protagonist of other initiatives: in particular, it has renewed its commitment to clandestine immigrants, with the Forum “Life in […]

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"Starting a new life", a sad refrain” “

By losing “the sacred sense of marriage, we’ll end up by considering it merely as a private contract and consequently established at a person’s own discretion and dependent on personal choice, that may change and lead to breakdown”. This is the view of the Spanish Episcopal Conference after the government’s approval last week of a […]

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800.000 images of Our Lady” “

The Catalan Josep Gavín has a quite particular vocation: collecting images of saints and of Mary. He has won 4 Guinness Prizes, including one for being the collector with most images of St. Joseph (51,000). His Marian collection now runs to some 800,000 images of Our Lady. Josep Gavín is the director of Arxiu Gavin, […]

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CCEE: migration and pastoral care of migrants ” “

The annual meeting of the Commission for migration of the CCEE (Council of the European Episcopal Commissions) and the National Directors for the pastoral care of migrants was held at Mechelen, in Belgium, from 17 to 19 September. Representatives of the Holy See and 24 episcopal conferences, of the Commission of the Episcopates of the […]

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CEC: new secretary for the Church and Society Commission” “

Dieter Heidtmann of the Evangelic Church of Württemberg, in Germany, is the new executive secretary of the “Church and Society” Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC). He comes to the CEC from the Community of the Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE), an association of 103 Lutheran, Reformed and Methodist churches that now live […]

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Italy: put to the test by terrorism” “

In response to the “world threat” of terrorism, “we are all put to the test, as individuals, as peoples, as international community and also, and more specifically, as Christians”, said Cardinal Camillo Ruini, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, on opening the permanent Council of Italian bishops, now being held in Rome until 23 September. […]

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