Overview
Lobbying Costs
1,375,000€
Financial year: Jan 2019 - Dec 2019
Lobbyists (Full time equivalent)
8.25 Fte (11)
Lobbyists with EP accreditation
0
High-level Commission meetings
20
Lobbying Costs over the years
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Info
Secretariat of COMECE (Commission of the Episcopates of the European Union) (COMECE Secretariat)
EU Transparency Register
47350036909-69 First registered on 07 Oct 2011
Goals / Remit
The COMECE Secretariat carries out operatively the aims of the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Union (COMECE), partnering EU political processes; monitoring EU activities and informing its Episcopates; communicating to the EU the views of its Episcopates. The COMECE Secretariat supports greater transparency in EU processes. It recognises itself as ‘Organisations representing churches and religious communities’ and agrees that the Register should not apply to Churches. COMECE is involved in Art. 17.3 TFEU Dialogue with a specific contribution and a peculiar identity, status and dignity, not as a lobby/interest representative/single-issue organisation. Our contribution is of moral/ethical nature but also rooted in Church Social Doctrine. It is constantly inspired by the Gospel and hurch reflection on the dignity of each human being as created in God’s image. We operate for the common good, not for business/interests and we are not conditioned by third-party interests.
Main EU files targeted
- Conference on the Future of Europe
- General Data Protection Regulation
- Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU
- Protection of places of worship in the EU
- Countering fake news/disinformation
- Non-discrimination policies
- Whistleblowers directive
- Audiovisual Media Services Directive
- Anti-money laundering Directive
- E-evidence Regulation
- Eastern partnership post-2020
- EU integration of the Western Balkans
- Review of the EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy
- European Defence Fund and Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO)
- Development and humanitarian action by Churches, religious communities and faith-based organisations
- Churches, religious communities and faith-based organisations as human right actors in third countries
- EU Commission´s Coordinated Plan on the development of AI
- Report of the High-Level Expert Group on AI: Policy and Investment Recommendations for AI
White Paper on AI - A European approach to excellence and trust
- EU Digital Strategy
- European Data Strategy
- European Green Deal Investment Plan
- Renewed Sustainable Finance Strategy
- European Health Data Space
- European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance
- Europe´s Beating Cancer Plan
- EU Road Safety Policy Framework and its Strategic Action Plan
- The EU’s long term strategic goal of "Vision Zero"
- Common European Asylum System (CEAS)
Migration: internal and external dimension (including partnerships with third countries and root causes of forced migration)
- Return policies
- Integration of migrants, refugees and victims of human trafficking
- Trafficking in Human Beings
- Roma people inclusion
- Intolerance and persecution against vulnerable religious groups and minorities in third countries
- Implementation of EU Guidelines on Freedom of religion or belief.Address
Head Office
Square de Meeûs, 19
Brussels 1050
BELGIUM -
People
Total lobbyists declared
11
Employment time Lobbyists 100% 6 50% 4 25% 1 Lobbyists (Full time equivalent)
8.25
Lobbyists with EP accreditation
All Lobbyists with EP accreditation over time
0 accreditations were / are live (in bold) for the selected state of 21 Oct 2020
Name Start date End Date Michele TURZI 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Johannes MORAVITZ 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Alix DE WASSEIGE 01 Mar 2024 28 Feb 2025 Emilio DOGLIANI 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Alessandro DI MAIO 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Manuel Enrique BARRIOS PRIETO 07 Jul 2023 05 Jul 2024 Friederike LADENBURGER 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Marek MISAK 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Alessandro CALCAGNO 01 Aug 2023 31 Jul 2024 Ms Alix DE WASSEIGE 01 Mar 2024 26 Apr 2024 Mr Michele TURZI 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Johannes MORAVITZ 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Emilio DOGLIANI 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Alessandro DI MAIO 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Ms Friederike LADENBURGER 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Marek Misak 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 01 Aug 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Manuel Enrique BARRIOS PRIETO 07 Jul 2023 26 Apr 2024 Mr Johannes MORAVITZ 15 Sep 2022 01 Aug 2023 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 02 Aug 2022 01 Aug 2023 Ms Alix DE WASSEIGE 30 Jul 2022 29 Jul 2023 Mr Emilio DOGLIANI 30 Jul 2022 29 Jul 2023 Mr Alessandro DI MAIO 30 Jul 2022 29 Jul 2023 Ms Friederike LADENBURGER 30 Jul 2022 29 Jul 2023 Mr Marek Misak 30 Jul 2022 01 Aug 2023 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 30 Jul 2022 29 Jul 2023 Mr Manuel Enrique BARRIOS PRIETO 14 Jul 2022 07 Jul 2023 Ms Alix DE WASSEIGE 03 Aug 2021 30 Jul 2022 Mr Emilio DOGLIANI 03 Aug 2021 30 Jul 2022 Mr Alessandro DI MAIO 03 Aug 2021 30 Jul 2022 Ms Friederike LADENBURGER 03 Aug 2021 30 Jul 2022 Mr Marek Misak 03 Aug 2021 30 Jul 2022 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 03 Aug 2021 02 Aug 2022 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 03 Aug 2021 30 Jul 2022 Mr Manuel Enrique BARRIOS PRIETO 02 Jul 2021 02 Jul 2022 Mr Markus Vennewald 23 Jan 2020 07 Oct 2020 Mr Manuel Enrique BARRIOS PRIETO 04 Sep 2019 04 Sep 2020 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 21 Aug 2019 01 Sep 2020 Mr Marek Misak 21 Aug 2019 01 Sep 2020 Ms Friederike LADENBURGER 21 Aug 2019 01 Sep 2020 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 16 Jul 2019 16 Jul 2020 Mr Olivier Poquillon 04 Jul 2019 04 Sep 2019 Mr Markus Vennewald 10 Jan 2019 10 Jan 2020 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 14 Jul 2018 13 Jul 2019 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 14 Jul 2018 13 Jul 2019 Mr Marek Misak 14 Jul 2018 13 Jul 2019 Mr Olivier Poquillon 14 Jul 2018 04 Jul 2019 Ms Friederike LADENBURGER 14 Jul 2018 13 Jul 2019 Ms Johanna Touzel 09 Feb 2018 09 Jan 2019 Mr Markus Vennewald 15 Jan 2018 10 Jan 2019 Ms Friederike LADENBURGER 06 Sep 2017 14 Jul 2018 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 31 Aug 2017 14 Jul 2018 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 31 Aug 2017 14 Jul 2018 Mr Marek Misak 31 Aug 2017 14 Jul 2018 Mr Olivier Poquillon 31 Aug 2017 14 Jul 2018 Ms Johanna Touzel 25 Feb 2017 09 Feb 2018 Mr Markus Vennewald 23 Jan 2017 15 Jan 2018 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 30 Sep 2016 31 Aug 2017 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 30 Sep 2016 31 Aug 2017 Mr Marek Misak 30 Sep 2016 31 Aug 2017 Ms Irmina NOCKIEWICZ 30 Sep 2016 27 Sep 2017 Mr Olivier Poquillon 05 Sep 2016 31 Aug 2017 Mr José Pedro DE SANDE E LEMOS RAMOS ASCENSAO 25 Feb 2016 24 Feb 2017 Mr Patrick Hugh DALY 25 Feb 2016 06 Sep 2016 Ms Johanna Touzel 25 Feb 2016 24 Feb 2017 Mr Markus Vennewald 26 Jan 2016 22 Jan 2017 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 22 Sep 2015 16 Sep 2016 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 22 Sep 2015 16 Sep 2016 Mr Marek Misak 22 Sep 2015 16 Sep 2016 Ms Irmina NOCKIEWICZ 22 Sep 2015 16 Sep 2016 Ms Johanna Touzel 16 Apr 2015 25 Feb 2016 Ms Anna ECHTERHOFF 17 Feb 2015 15 Apr 2015 Mr José Pedro DE SANDE E LEMOS RAMOS ASCENSAO 11 Feb 2015 05 Feb 2016 Mr Patrick Hugh DALY 11 Feb 2015 05 Feb 2016 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 30 Sep 2014 22 Sep 2015 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 30 Sep 2014 22 Sep 2015 Mr Marek Misak 30 Sep 2014 22 Sep 2015 Ms Irmina NOCKIEWICZ 30 Sep 2014 22 Sep 2015 Mr José Pedro DE SANDE E LEMOS RAMOS ASCENSAO 19 Feb 2014 12 Feb 2015 Mr Patrick Hugh DALY 19 Feb 2014 12 Feb 2015 Anna ECHTERHOFF 19 Feb 2014 15 Feb 2015 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 04 Oct 2013 30 Sep 2014 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 04 Oct 2013 30 Sep 2014 Mr José Pedro DE SANDE E LEMOS RAMOS ASCENSAO 15 Feb 2013 14 Feb 2014 Mr Patrick Hugh DALY 12 Feb 2013 09 Feb 2014 Mr Joseph Vella Gauci 26 Jan 2013 07 Oct 2013 Mr Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 29 Jan 2013 04 Oct 2013 Anna ECHTERHOFF 05 Feb 2013 02 Feb 2014 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 21 Dec 2012 04 Oct 2013 Mr Joseph Vella Gauci 08 Jun 2012 08 Feb 2013 Ms Leen den Blauwen 02 Jun 2012 08 Feb 2013 Mr José Pedro RAMOS-ASCENSAO 02 Feb 2012 08 Feb 2013 Mr Piotr MAZURKIEWICZ 17 Jan 2012 08 Feb 2013 Mr Alessandro CALCAGNO 17 Jan 2012 21 Dec 2012 Anna ECHTERHOFF 01 Mar 2012 01 Dec 2012 Jose Luis BAZAN LOPEZ 06 Mar 2012 08 Feb 2013 Complementary Information
None declared
Person in charge of EU relations
Data not provided by Register Secretariat due to GDPR
Person with legal responsibility
Data not provided by Register Secretariat due to GDPR
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Categories
Category
V - Organisations representing churches and religious communities
Subcategory
Organisations representing churches and religious communities
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Networking
Affiliation
Participation to an informal ecumenical group of Christian organisations working on migration and asylum issues.
Member organisations
None declared
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Financial Data
Closed financial year
Jan 2019 - Dec 2019
Lobbying costs for closed financial year
1,375,000€
Other financial info
It should be noted that in this section the word ‘members’ is meant to refer to the members of COMECE.
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EU Structures
Groups (European Commission)
none
Groups (European Parliament)
Extreme Poverty and Human Rights Intergroup; Freedom of religion and belief and religious tolerance Intergroup.
Communication activities
Contributions:
- Contribution to the European Commission consultation on the implementation of Article 17 TFEU (May 2019)
- “Technology at the Service of Peace” – a reflection on uncrewed armed systems (July 2019)
- Contribution of COMECE and CEC to Finland’s EU Council Presidency Programme “Sustainable Europe – Sustainable Future” (July 2019)
- Call for people-centred asylum policies (July 2019)
- Call for humane treatment in irregular migrants’ return process (August 2019);
- Calls on the European Day Without a Road Death (September 2019) and on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (November 2019)
- Contribution to the Round table of The European Group on Ethics of Science and New Technologies on Genome Editing (October 2019)
- Contribution to the EU public consultation on the future of the Eastern partnership (November 2019)
- Contribution to the European Commission consultation on protection of places of worship in the EU (November 2019)
- Call to ensure stability in Burkina Faso (January 2020)
- Contribution of COMECE and CEC to Croatia’s EU Council Presidency Programme “A strong Europe in a world of challenges” (January 2020)
- COMECE President letter calling EU Bishops’ Conferences to launch relocation projects for refugees in Greece (February 2020)
- Contribution of COMECE to the European Data Protection Board Annual Report 2019 (February 2020).
Events:
- Meeting of Military Bishops & Ordinaries from EU countries and dialogue with EU military officials (8-9 April 2019)
- COMECE co-organiser of a working breakfast with His Beatitude Louis Raphaël Cardinal Sako I, Patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, about the situation of Christians in Iraq and future challenges (8 May 2019)
- Meeting of Bishops' Conferences data protection experts platform (21 May 2019)
- Commission consultation meeting on the implementation of Article 17 TFEU (22 May 2019)
- Dialogue event with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) on “Human Rights & Religion” organised together with Don Bosco International and Baha’i International Community (3 July 2019)
- COMECE co-organiser of the EP Conference on Trafficking in Human Beings (2 December 2019)
- Joint COMECE-Caritas Europa dialogue meeting on partnerships between the EU and religious actors in the area of development cooperation (23 January 2020)
- Study and advocacy visit of the Presidency of the Albanian Catholic Bishops’ Conference to EU institutions, including a public dialogue event with Church and political representatives on the next steps for Albania´s EU integration (3-5 February 2020)
- Contribution to the KAS Workshop on "Europe's policy on border security" (Athens 18 November 2019)
- Contribution to the 2nd International Conference on Christian Persecution (Budapest, 27 November)
- Contribution to the EPP Conference “Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together” (11-12 December 2019, at the Lebanese Maronite Monastery Saint Charbel in Belgium).
Webnews/press releases/press conferences; COMECE website; Social media; COMECE Annual Report 2019; videos.Other activities
Participation to ad hoc meetings and consultations:
- European Data Protection Board Stakeholders list
- Stakeholders’ meetings of the European Roma Platform, DG Justice
- European Development Days concerning addressing religious actors and inequalities.- Meetings
Meetings
20 meetings found. Download meetings
The list below only covers meetings held since November 2014 with commissioners, their cabinet members or directors-general at the European Commission; other lobby meetings with lower-level staff may have taken place, but the European Commission doesn't proactively publish information about these meetings. For more information about which commissioner is responsible for which portfolio, check out this link: https://commissioners.ec.europa.eu/index_en All information below comes from European Commission web pages.
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Date 11 Sep 2023 Location Brussels Subject Enlargement policy Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi Portfolio Neighbourhood and Enlargement Attending - Ildikó Voller-Szenci (Cabinet member)
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Date 28 Feb 2023 Location Brussels Subject Social Economy Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit Portfolio Jobs and Social Rights Attending - Santina Bertulessi (Cabinet member)
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Date 19 Sep 2022 Location Online Subject Social Economy and the SEAP implementation Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Nicolas Schmit Portfolio Jobs and Social Rights Attending - Santina Bertulessi (Cabinet member)
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Date 15 Jun 2022 Location VTC Subject Celebrating the European Year of Youth Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi Portfolio Neighbourhood and Enlargement Attending - Olivér Várhelyi (Commissioner)
- Szabolcs Horvath (Cabinet member)
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Date 14 Jan 2022 Location virtual conference Subject Article 17 dialogue Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Margaritis Schinas Portfolio Promoting the European Way of Life Attending - Vangelis Demiris (Cabinet member)
- Margaritis Schinas (Vice-President)
Other Lobbyists - Conference of European Churches
- The PR Office
- European Buddhist Union
- Unie Vrijzinnige Verenigingen
- EGALE Egalité-laïcité-Europe
- Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, Church Council
- EKD-Büro Brüssel / EKD-Office Brussels
- Office of the Anglican Bishop in Europe
- Committee of the Representatives of the Orthodox Churches in European Union
- association européenne de la pensée libre
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - European Union and International Affairs Office
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Date 25 Nov 2021 Location video-call Subject Interfaith Convention on the European Green Deal Cabinet Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans Portfolio European Green Deal Attending - Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President)
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Date 29 Jun 2021 Location VTC Subject Exchange of views on the future of Lebanon Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi Portfolio Neighbourhood and Enlargement Attending - Olivér Várhelyi (Commissioner)
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Date 24 Jun 2021 Location Brussels Subject social policies and inclusion DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Attending - Joost Korte (Director-General)
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Date 10 Jun 2021 Location Brussels - video conference Subject European Green Deal presentation and discussion Cabinet Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans Portfolio European Green Deal Attending - Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet member)
Other Lobbyists - Conference of European Churches
- Alliance Maçonnique Européenne
- European Buddhist Union
- Office of the Anglican Bishop in Europe
- HINDU FORUM EUROPE
- Grande Loge Féminine de France (Institut Maçonnique Européen)
- Unie Vrijzinnige Verenigingen
- Committee of the Representatives of the Orthodox Churches in European Union
- EGALE Egalité-laïcité-Europe
- association européenne de la pensée libre
- EKD-Büro Brüssel / EKD-Office Brussels
- European Union for Progressive Judaism
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Date 18 Jan 2021 Location VTC Subject The state of play on the Southern Neighbourhood policy Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi Portfolio Neighbourhood and Enlargement Attending - Olivér Várhelyi (Commissioner)
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Date 07 Sep 2020 Location Brussels Subject Green Paper on Ageing Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Dubravka Šuica Portfolio Democracy and Demography Attending - Astrid Dentler (Cabinet member)
Other Lobbyists -
Date 10 Jul 2020 Location Brussels - video conference Subject Discussion on the European Green Deal with the Catholic Youth Cabinet Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans Portfolio European Green Deal Attending - Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet member)
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Date 16 Jun 2020 Location Brussels - video conference Subject Preparation of youth dialogue meeting Cabinet Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans Portfolio European Green Deal Attending - Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet member)
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Date 04 Feb 2020 Location Brussels Subject EU Enlargement and opening of accession talks with Albania Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi Portfolio Neighbourhood and Enlargement Attending - Olivér Várhelyi (Commissioner)
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Date 25 Oct 2018 Location Brussels, Belgium Subject Meeting with the Task Force for the Preparation and Conduct of the Negotiations with the United Kingdom under Article 50 TEU DG Task Force for Relations with the United Kingdom Attending - Michel Barnier (Head of Task Force)
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Date 08 Feb 2018 Location Brussels, Belgium Subject Agriculture Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan Portfolio Agriculture & Rural Development Attending - Phil Hogan (Commissioner)
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Date 14 Sep 2017 Location Brussels Subject Dialogue selon l’Art. 17 Cabinet Cabinet of First Vice-President Frans Timmermans Portfolio Better Regulation, Interinstitutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights Attending - Bernardus Smulders (Cabinet member)
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Date 02 Jun 2017 Location Brussels Subject EMU reflection paper Cabinet Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis Portfolio Euro and Social Dialogue, also in charge of Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union Attending - Kai Wynands (Cabinet member)
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Date 12 Oct 2016 Location Comece Secretariat Subject European Pillar of Social Rights and its role in ensuring good working conditions and account for the changes on the labour market. Cabinet Cabinet of Commissioner Marianne Thyssen Portfolio Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility Attending - Ruth Paserman (Cabinet member)
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Date 10 Nov 2015 Location Brussels Subject social issues – including youth unemployment, the impact of austerity policies on citizens and child poverty DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Attending - Michel Servoz (Director-General)
- Meetings