Europe

The following Synod paper – the Church of England and Europe – prepared for the July 2004 General Synod debate, provides an overview of the Church of England’s contribution to the ongoing political and constitutional debate as to Europe’s future, as well as its many connections with mainland Europe. The report and its recommendations provide a strategic framework for the Church's engagement in Europe.

House of Bishops' Europe Panel

In September 2006 the House of Bishops’ Standing Committee approved the establishment of a House of Bishops Europe Panel. To date the Panel's work programme has focused on two areas, taking forward discussions regarding 1) The creation of the post of Church of England Representative to the EU Institutions and 2) Contributing to public debates regarding the EU Reform Treaty. Its terms of reference can be found here.

Recent Activities

Emissions Trading Scheme

On 10 June 2008 the Panel made a submission to Sub-Committee D (Environment and Agriculture) of the House of Lords European Union Select Committee's inquiry into the European Commission's proposals to reform the EU's Emissions Trading Scheme. A copy of this submission can be found here. Copies of this submission were also sent to the relevant European Parliamentary Committees examining this issue: the Climate Change Committee and the Committee for Industry, Energy and Research. Copies were also sent to all UK MEP'S. Canon Dr Gary Wilton, the Church of Engalnd's Representative to the EU, is following up on this submission by meeting with relevant European Parliamentarians.

In May 2008 the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued a consultation document on the proposed EU Emissions Trading System from 2013. The House of Bishops' Europe Panel made a detailed submission to this consultation in July 2008. A copy of the submission can be read here. In addition, the Bishops' Europe Panel joined with other civil society organisations to make a joint and more general submission to this same consultation. This joint submission involved the following organisations: the Church of England, the RSB, Christian Aid, Greenpeace, the Green Alliance and WWF. A copy of this joint submission can be read here. 

Renewable Energy

On 2 June 2008 the Panel made a submission to the House of Lords’ Select Committee on Economic Affairs inquiry into ‘The Economics of Renewable Energy’. Government policy on renewable energy and in particular the rate at which its uptake should be increased is currently being shaped by the EU target that 15% of energy consumed in the UK should come from renewable sources by 2020. A copy of this submission can be found here.

Budget Reform

On 31 March 2008 the House of Bishops Europe Panel made a submission to the European Commission's review of the EU Budget. The accompanying press release can be read here.

On 13 June the Republic of Ireland voted against the Lisbon Treaty. In response to this development the Bishops of St Albans (as Chair of the House of Bishops) wrote a letter to The Times, 18 June. The letter drew attention to the EU's democratic deficit and the necessity of making greater provision for participatory democracy not least through further reform of the EU's budget. The letter can be read here.

Church of England Representative to the EU Institutions.

In May 2008 Canon Dr Gary Wilton was appointed as the Church of England's Representative to the EU Institutions. This is a newly created post and you can read more about it here. He will take forward a work programme around climate change with particular focus on the EU Budget Review, the EU's 2008 legislative programme and the post 2012 negotiations. As part of the Church of England's wider ecumenical commitment, this work programme will be taken forward in collaboration with the Conference of European Churches' Church and Society Commission. To this end Canon Dr Gary Wilton will be based at the Ecumenical Centre in Brussels as an Associate Staff Member of the Conference of European Churches Church and Society Commission. He was licensed into the post by the Bishop in Europe, the Rt Revd Geoffrey Rowell, at a service at the Pro-Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity Brussels on 3 May 2008. The Bishop in Europe's sermon to mark the installation of the EU Representative can be found here.

EU Reform Treaty

In August 2007, the Mission & Public Affairs Unit issued a briefing paper on the EU Reform Treaty.

On 1 April 2008 the Bishop of St Albans (as Chair of the House of Bishops Europe Panel) wrote to the Times drawing attention to the Panel's support of the EU Reform Treaty. This letter coincided with the debate on the Treaty in the House of Lords to which a number of bishops contributed.

The Bishop of Chichester, The Rt Revd John Hind, made his maiden speech in the House of Lords on the EU Reform Treaty on 1 April 2008. The text of the speech can be read here.

The Bishop of Chester, The Rt Revd Peter Foster spoke in the Lords debate during the committee stages of the Reform Treaty (Amendment) Bill, opposing an amendment from Lord Howell of Guildford that called for a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The text of his speech can be found here.

The Archbishop of York, the Rt Revd Sentamu, made a robust intervention in the House of Lords' debate, 11 June 2008. A copy of his intervention can be found here.

On 13 June the Republic of Ireland voted against the Lisbon Treaty. In response to this development the Bishops of St Albans (as Chair of the House of Bishops) wrote a letter to The Times, 18 June. The letter drew attention to the EU's democratic deficit and the necessity of making greater provision for participatory democracy not least through further reform of the EU's budget. The letter can be read here.

Conference of European Churches

The Church of England is a member of the Conference of European Churches which seeks to ensure a Christian contribution to Europe’s development.

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of 126 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches along with 43 associated organisations from all countries on the European Continent. CEC was founded in 1959 and has offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg. Its' website provides helpful resources and briefing papers on the areas covered by the Conference of European Churches: Church and Society; Churches in dialogue and Churches and Migrants.