Churches present social exclusion report to EU Parliament

EU President, Mr Jerzy Buzek, (centre) opens conference

‘Do not deny justice to your poor people' is the title of a report presented yesterday in the European Parliament by the main European Churches and their organisations. The text contains 14 political recommendations addressed to the EU and the Member States, which when implemented would ensure poverty in Europe would be drastically reduced. It was presented on the occasion of a conference that was opened by Mr Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament, and attended by 150 participants.

The text highlights the common experience and convictions of Churches, Caritas and Eurodiaconia; it analyses the various aspects, causes and effects of poverty; Finally, it presents the joint recommendations of Caritas Europa, the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CSC of CEC), the Secretariat of COMECE and of Eurodiaconia to the European Union institutions and to the Member States for a stronger social Europe.

MEPs from the four main political groups as well as representatives of the EU Commission and of the Belgian EU presidency reacted positively to the proposals.

After having published this reflection on poverty and elaborating joint recommendations, the four Christian organisations now offer EU policy makers permanent cooperation in order to reach the ambitious but necessary target of eradicating poverty on our continent.

Link to the document: www.comece.eu

Source: COMECE