PARIS - 10 October 2008 - 420 words
EU
bishops discuss world financial crisis
Members of the Social Affairs Commission of COMECE met in Paris
on 8-9 October for their annual meeting. Their exchange of views
on the topic of "The future of social protection and social
policy in Europe" was marked by the crisis in the financial
markets and its consequences for social policy in Europe.
At the end of the meeting, Bishop Reinhard Marx, archbishop of
Munich and President of the Commission, said: "At the present
time it is the case that the governments of the EU should undertake
all possible efforts to end this crisis of confidence which is
undermining the financial markets. The social teaching of the
Church has for a long time recognised the idea of global governance
in order to bring justice, transparency and responsibility into
the world's financial markets. Now the time has come to implement
this social teaching. It is also important for our governments,
as well as for the EU-Institutions, to start caring for the situation
of those citizens who - without being responsible - will nevertheless
have to carry the social consequences of the financial crisis.
We have arrived at the precise moment where the European social
model should prove itself in order to avoid turning the financial
crisis into a political and social crisis."
Invited to present the current situation of social security and
pension systems in the EU, Ms Marie Panayotopoulos-Cassiotou,
MEP (Greece), called to mind the social agenda and the family
package for a better balance between work and family, both launched
by the European Commission. She however regretted that this agenda
was not sufficient to face the current challenges of Europe as,
for example, the demographic decline and the need to reconcile
family life and professional life.
The Director General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal
Opportunities of the European Commission, Mr Nikolaus G. van der
Pas presented the new social agenda from a political perspective.
The social dimension would be an important way for the EU to counter
the reluctance of many citizens towards the European integration
process.
In the second part of their meeting, the Members of the Commission
for Social Affairs of COMECE exchanged views on their respective
priorities. In particular, they examined new initiatives to promote
the social teaching of the Church throughout Europe. Bishop Piotr
Jarecki, auxiliary Bishop of Warsaw and Vice-President of COMECE,
presented a proposal for the first European Social Conference
which will take place in Gdansk in October 2009.
The participants at the meeting were Bishops and/or Secretaries
of the Social Commissions of the Bishops' Conferences of Germany,
England & Wales, Austria, Spain, France, Hungary, Ireland,
Italy, Luxemburg, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia as well
as the Secretary General of COMECE, Fr. Piotr Mazurkiewicz.
Source: COMECE
© Independent Catholic News 2008
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