European bishops hail EU enlargement

The European bishops yesterday welcomed the enlargement process within the European Union, saying the accession of 10 new member states was a source of hope, an opportunity for the Union's renewal and a chance to fuel further peace and prosperity in the continent.

"The injection of 10 new countries into the EU will help to realise a hope particularly cherished by the Church: that Europe must breathe with both its lungs. This project should now provide a source of hope to other European countries and peoples," the bishops said.

The Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) issued a glowing four-page declaration on the accession of new member states ahead of the EU summit in Copenhagen that starts on Thursday.

The declaration was made by the Church representatives of the 15 member states but also had the blessing of Churches from five acceding countries, including Malta, COMECE general secretary Mgr Noel Treanor said.

The other candidate countries have yet to appoint a representative to COMECE.

Bishops from the candidate countries, including Malta's Archbishop, Mgr Joseph Mercieca, were last week invited to the two-day autumn plenary session in Brussels.

Mgr Treanor said it was up to the Maltese Church representatives to "judge the right time and moment" to declare themselves on the EU.

In its declaration, COMECE said it believed the accession of 10 new member states represented a "profoundly significant transformation in our continent's history".

"This community of different cultures will constitute a step towards a European common good. For us, therefore, this is not the 'enlargement' but the 'Europeanisation' of the EU."

The bishops said the Catholic Church was and had always been supportive of the efforts of political leaders and citizens to bring lasting peace and well-being to the continent through a "community of solidarity" based on economic and political integration.

"Enlargement is an opportunity to concretely promote and realise throughout the whole of Europe fundamental values which are also of primary importance to the Church: solidarity, mutual respect and friendship between peoples."

The bishops stressed that the EU was founded on universal values:

"The Gospel of Jesus Christ provides the source and inspiration for many of these values. Inspired by the Gospel, and in view of the imminent challenge of integrating 10 new member states into this community, we commend to our political leaders and all current and future citizens of the EU hope, trust and, above all, solidarity."

The bishops said this Europeanisation would enrich the EU, providing it with a new cultural and historical quality and identity.

The European community could and should also provide a sign of hope to other regions of the world seeking to build on this model of peaceful integration, notably in Africa and Latin America.

"Becoming a member of this EU does not only entail rights and entitlements, it also means 'respecting the identity of other nations and involves the right of co-deciding about the shape of future Europe".

Every member was equal in the Union and so must work not only in its own interests but in the interest of the whole community, COMECE said. In the enlarged Union, this would require a renewed commitment of trust from all member states.

The bishops said both the current and new members must remain committed to the process if citizens were to fully enjoy the fruits of accession.

For the new members, COMECE said, the benefits of accession may not become evident immediately and they would, therefore, be called on to recognise and respect the solidarity demonstrated by the current member states even if its effects were not immediately quantifiable.

Both the current and new member states should participate on an "equal basis" in the intergovernmental conference that would be called following the presentation by the European Convention of a draft constitutional treaty of the EU.

Upon membership, the bishops said, new member states would become members not only of a single market but also of the world's biggest donor of humanitarian and development aid.

The bishops said the removal of frontiers within the new EU must not lead to the construction of a "fortress Europe" at its external limits.

While maintaining external borders was necessary in order to protect the freedom and security of those who lived within them, migrants and refugees should be treated with compassion and justice.

"As Christians, we cannot be mere spectators of the political processes in Europe," the bishops stressed.

"With hope, trust and solidarity, we as bishops undertake to continue supporting and contributing creatively to that project and we encourage all believers and citizens to share in this common endeavour."