STATUTES
OF THE
COMMISSIO EPISCOPATUUM COMMUNITATIS EUROPENSIS (COMECE)
(Final text, adopted the 3rd march 1980)
1. The episcopacies of the countries belonging to the European Community exercise their pastoral tasks in the frame of this Community, in addition to their pastoral duties in their own country, thus wanting to secure ‘mutual opening and fraternal co-operation to the benefit of evangelization " (John Paul II) in the Europe that is being constructed.
2. This collaboration among the episcopacies will be practised in close connection with the Apostolic Nuncio at the European Communities. In respect of these, the Commission will only care for the relations as derived from the pastoral assignment; the Holy See and the Apostolic Nuncio securing also those descended from the international public law.
3. In order to give reality to this collaboration, these episcopacies constitute the COMMISSIO EPISCOPATUUM COMMUNITATIS EUROPENSIS (COMECE). Its goal is to further, in the spirit of colleagueship, a union and a much closer co-operation among the episcopacies, and, of the episcopacies with the Holy See, in the pastoral questions that concern the European Community.
The Commission
4. The Commission is formed by the bishops delegated by each individual episcopacy of the countries belonging to the European Community.
5. Each episcopacy delegates a bishop to attend in its name to the Commission for a period of three years.
6. It is to the Commission to :
a) take decisions in conformity with the ends of the COMECE, mentioned above,
b) elect its President as well as the members of the Executive Committee,
c) install the Secretariat and give it a mandate,
d) control the expenditure of the funds which the COMECE will dispose of
e) The COMECE may also endeavour to build up contacts and an exchange of information with other Conferences of Bishops, other organisms, and persons of particular competence.
f) The COMECE co-operates with the CCEE.
The President
9. The President of the Commission is elected by the members and from among the members for a period of three years. His mandate may be renewed.
10. He is in one person "moderator et promoter". It is particularly to him to suggest or to make himself the necessary contacts, helpful for all the problems derived from the proper competence of the Commission.
11. The President of the COMECE acts in conformity and in close collaboration with the Apostolic Nuncio at the European Communities.
The Executive Committee
12. The Executive Committee comprises the President of the Commission, two more members elected from among the members of the Commission for a period of three years, and the Secretary General.
13. It is to the Executive Committee to:
a) prepare the programme of work and the agenda for the meetings of the Commission,
b) execute the decisions taken by the Commission,
c) take decisions in affairs not suffering to be postponed until the next session of the Commission,
d) supervise the way of how the Secretariat is run
Relations with the Apostolic Nuncio
14. The Apostolic Nuncio at the European Communities is ever invited and entitled to participate in the meetings of the Commission and of the Executive Committee
The Secretary General
15. The Secretary General of the Commission is nominated by the Commission and charged for a period of three years, the assent of the Holy See having been given before-hand.
16. The Secretary General serves the Commission and the Executive Committee. He is responsible to the President of the Commission.
17. It is the Secretary General of the COMECE to:
a) execute the orders given by the Executive Committee above all :
- represent the COMECE
- get into contact with the organisms of the European Community,
- secure the ties with the Conference of Bishops, other organisms, and persons of competence (see : paragraph 7),
b) observe the trends and the evolution in the European domain, and in the European institutions,
c) prepare declarations for the Commission and the Executive Committee,
d) inform regularly the Conferences of the Bishops of the European Community and of the European Council about the problems of common general interest,
e) give an annual report of the work done by the Commission,
f) present the estimates for the annual expenditure.
Final Provisions
18. The members of the COMECE and of the Secretariat are bound to respect the confidential character of deliberations and administrative measures.
19. The costs of the COMECE, particularly of running the Secretariat, are covered by the Conferences of Bishops members of the COMECE, consideration given to the help granted by the Holy See.
20. The present statutes will be in force ad experimentum for three years running; at the end of this period, they can be modified by the Commission, given the consent of the Conferences of Bishops concerned, and of the Holy See.
(Translated from the French original paper)
