Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community

The Commissio Episcopatuum Communitatis Europaeae (Latin) (COMECE) or Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community is an organisation of Roman Catholic bishops in Europe to examine European Union (EU) policy and legislation from a Catholic perspective. COMECE should not be confused with the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE).

COMECE is made up of bishops delegated by the 26 Catholic bishops' conferences of the European Union and has a permanent Secretariat in Brussels. It was launched on 3 March 1980 and was preceded by the European Catholic Pastoral Information Service (SIPECA, 1976–1980). Discussions during the 1970s about creating an instrument of liaison between the bishops' conferences and the European Community led to the decision, on the eve of the first direct elections to the European Parliament in 1979, to establish COMECE.

Objectives

The objectives of COMECE are: to monitor and analyse the political process of the European Union, to inform and raise awareness within the Church of the development of EU policy and legislation, to maintain a regular Dialogue with the EU Institutions (European Commission, Council of Ministers and European Parliament) through annual Summit meetings of religious leaders, Dialogue Seminars, various Conferences and by taking part in Consultations launched by the European Commission, to promote reflection, based on the Church's social teaching, on the challenges facing a united Europe COMECE is funded by its 26 member Bishops' Conferences. Its Secretariat is currently made of 10 people.

Organization

COMECE's president is currently Cardinal Reinhard Marx Archbishop of Munich. It has one first Vice-President Bishop Jean Kockerols and three other vice-presidents, currently Bishop Gianni Ambrosio, Bishop Virgil Bercea, the third one should be elected at the autumn Plenary Assembly 2013. The official who runs the office on a day to day basis is the General Secretary, currently the Rev. Dr. Patrick Daly. The General Secretary is appointed for a three-year term renewable term.

Presidents of COMECE

Franz Hengsbach, Bishop of Essen (1980–1984)
Jean Hengen, Archbishop of Luxembourg (1984–1990)
Charles Amarin Brand, Archbishop of Strasbourg (1990–1993)
Josef Homeyer, Bishop of Hildesheim (1993–2006)
Adrianus Herman van Luyn SDB, Bishop of Rotterdam (2006–2012)
Reinhard Cardinal Marx, Archbishop of Munich (2012–present)

General Secretaries of COMECE

Fr. Paul Huot-Pleuroux (3 March 1980 – 31 March 1993)
Fr. Noel Treanor (31 March 1993-February 2008)
Fr. Piotr Mazurkiewicz (March 2008 – November 2012)
Fr. Patrick Daly (February 2013 – present)

Publications