EU: Single Market, social cohesion, dialogue with Churches in Europe

“The 30th Anniversary of the EU Single Market: Past Achievements and Future Developments”. This is the theme of a Seminar convened for 27 June in Brussels by Othmar Karas, First Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for Parliament’s implementation of Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU). Article 17 introduced a legal obligation on the EU to conduct an open, transparent and regular dialogue with Churches, religious associations, and philosophical and non-confessional organisations. After the customary opening greetings by Karas, by Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, and by the Director-General for Competitiveness and Trade Isabel Riaño-Ibañez (EU Council), the programme of the Seminar features an address by Dita Charanzová (Vice-President of the European Parliament and Member of the Committee on the Internal Market) who will be “setting the scene”. This will be followed by the contributions of faith and philosophical representatives on “The impact of religion, philosophical and non-confessional organisations in the 30-year history of the EU Single Market”. Speakers will include Rabbi Albert Guigui; Ariane Rodert from the Conference of European Churches; and Stefano Davide Bettera representing the European Buddhist Union. Other speakers will address the theme of “The EU Single Market as an engine of social progress and inclusion: Further needs to support people, eliminate barriers and leave no one behind”, including Sergio Rodriguez Lopez-Ros (Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union); Pierre Ahmad Gastou (Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies); Robbert Bodegraven (Humanistisch Verbond); and Dimitar Marinov Kirov (Committee of the Representatives of the Orthodox Churches to the EU).
Valentina Bombelli