EU Review &
Call to Prayer (EURCP)k - January, 2003
(By Praise & Prayer Ministries International http://www.EUPrayer.com)
[1 Timothy 2: 1 ”Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”]
[Please note that although the reports in the EUReview & Call to Prayer are selected with care, EURCP cannot be held responsible for any incorrectness in these reports. Visions, opinions and prophetic insights are entirely the authors' own views.
The EURCP is a free report service to those interested in prayer for the relationship of Christians with the European Union. The EURCP does not endorse these articles but only provides them as important information for your prayer and motivation.]
Below is an index to EURCP articles for PRAYER with suggestions included.
(At the end of this report there are guidelines on how to pray effectively.)
For A Christian Europe, Declaration of Lakitelek
[Pray for European Christian politicians to have wisdom to accomplish their goals to change the sometimes anti-Christian atmosphere of the emerging European Union government.]
Christian Group Calls for a Constitution That Respects Key Rights
John Paul II Invited to
Address European Parliament
EC President Backs Inclusion of Christianity in a
European Constitution
[Pray that Evangelical, Protestant. Orthodox and Catholic laymen, such as this Catholic group noted here and the Vatican, can work together for common goals.)
EU Convention President Giscard against religious
reference in constitution
[Pray that this EU constitution, which will effect the
lives of millions, gives due reference to our Christian heritage]
EU Convention: Working Groups
[Pray about these issues which can threaten Christian-based initiatives against unjust legislation and policies which affect the Fundamental Human Rights articles, the powers of parliament and the judicial protection.]
Future EU: Constitutional Key issues
[Pray about how the new constitution protects religious freedom and moral values. What powers should an EU president have? Will the parliaments represent the people effectively. What limits should be on the EU Commission? Pray about whether a Congress of National Parliaments represents national interests best. What should be the overall role of the united Europe? And again, how do we protect human rights.]
Church Wants Safeguards for Laws When Poland Joins EU
[URGENT Prayer to allow this exception in Poland’s treaty as a device toward change throughout the EU.]
Enlarging the European Union and freedom, security and justice issues
[Pray that the new nations preparing to join the EU will impact the existing western society in a good way - and how should we pray for them.]
Belgium Evangelical Leaders Plan 2003 EU Conference
[Pray that Belgium Christian leaders will come together for a time of planning and prayer for their influence in the EU and their national government. Pray for the Lord’s guidance and anointing in this.]
EU Convention STATUS REPORT
Go to this web page for current information.
Pray: Go thru each item and ask God which one you should pray for.
http://www.euractiv.com/cgi-bin/cgint.exe/?targ=5&11&1011=focfut
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How does the European
Union affect you? The EU is made up
of three main bodies, the European Parlament, The Council of the EU and The
European Commission. The parliament is
elected by the 15 nations’ voters, the Council is selected by the 15 national
governments, and the commission is the Administration, implementing the
legislation and policies of the Parlament and the Council. The EU Convention is
a special body created in 2001 to have national representation to look at the
future of the EU and perhaps write a constitution for a more permanent
government of Europe. Your prayers and
participation will shape that constitution. Will you Pray?
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FOR A CHRISTIAN EUROPE – “New Chances for Christian Politics in Europe”. People’s College of Lakitelek, Hungary, fall 2002
In the perspective of the upcoming enlargement of the European Union, MDF (Hungary) and ChristianUnion (The Netherlands) organized a pan-European conference on the chances for Christian politics in Europe. At one of the most enchanting venues in Europe, prominent Christian politicians from all over the continent were brought together to discuss the consequences of the enlargement with party delegates from candidate and present member states, Christian leaders and academics.
Along with over 100 others from around Europe, Hugh and Norma Davis were privileged to be invited and to attend and participate in this conference. We wrote down excerpts from the speeches and comments at the conference and have sought to boil these down to some key ideas. We want these ideas to serve as a basis for what is done to achieve the objectives of the conference. Though we know that many prayers were offered during this conference, it was seldom mentioned. We suggest that continual prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17) be included in your thought and preparation for your on-going participation in building a Christian Europe.
DECLARATION OF LAKITELEK “For a Christian Europe”
Participants of the conference, representatives of Christian and Christian Democratic Party’s movements and civil organizations from more than ten countries have examined new chances for Christian politics in Europe. We are at the brink of historical changes taking place on our continent and we welcome the eastern enlargement of the European Union
We acknowledge and give thanks to God for the many privileges that we enjoy, the liberation of Europe from the oppression of communism, the spirit of reconciliation and fraternity offered by the community of nations in the Europeans union, the recognition of many civil rights and liberties, comparative economic prosperity and end to the threat of war between the nations of our continent
In the midst of new external (international) and internal challenges Europe can not renounce her Christian values and the cultural, spiritual traditions based upon this values. Social justice, the integrity of life, the role of the family, equality between nations, and nations are at the heart of these Biblical values.
We believe that Jesus Christ calls us to follow Him in every area of our lives, including the realms of politics; we recognize that the king or god can not be identified with any political cause, but we affirm that it demands the pursuit of just government and thru promotion of well ordered societies
Using their best knowledge and will the participants of the conference wish to act for the above goals with their current meeting and their intended future cooperation, political and civil organizations representing Christian values throughout Europe; think that their main task is to link people and the nations of the continent closer. Therefore they want to launch a new Chrisitan political movement of Europe which will be the platform for new initiatives
We agree on the following agenda:
1. as soon as the enlargement of Europe has passed we will work on a common vision about the content and meaning of Christian politics in the frame work of the European union
2. from a renewed perspective we will aim at consensus within the family of European Christian parties behind a Christian program for Europe
3. In order to give our actions a permanent character we will establish a European structure for our cooperation. Christian union and Hungarian democratic forum will back the process
4. In the interest of the future of Europe we want to strengthen the training of young people. Fulfillment of the long term aims of the current conference will be helped by several educational programmes. We welcome the imitative of the Hungarian democratic forum to establish a post graduate course in the topic of the Europeans union (European department) in Lakitelek and also to establish “Mindszenty Academy” and “Bethlen Gabor Academy”
5. In order to fill this goal we will form a co-ordinating committee that will regularly meet and work out plans.
The declaration IS SIGNED IN Lakitelek, a historical place in the Hungarian transition process. Here new political life based on Christian values began in 1987. At that time an iron curtain separated eastern and western territories, states, and nations of the continent. Now at the brink of the unification of Europe we hope that Lakitelek will be the place where new political life will begin. November 30, 2002
Hungarian Democratic Forum (Hungary), Christian Union (Netherlands), Estonian Christian Peoples Party (Estonia)
Partie Bibeltreuer Christen (Germany), Christian Peoples Alliance (United Kingdom)
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and in an era of history, as Europeans embark on building a new government, called the European Union, out of many nations, let the Christians discuss these key issues in the Declaration..
We also urge you to be active in the church of your choice and urge the leadership and members of that church to be in prayer for the EU development activities, the members of the government and the writers of the new Constitution. Your prayers and your participation will make your objective possible.
Christian Group Calls for a Constitution That Respects Key Rights
Barcelona Manifesto Asks Recognition of the Faith
[Code: ZE02120808, Date: 2002-12-08 Vatican news service]
BARCELONA, Spain, DEC. 8, 2002 (Zenit.org). - The convention of Christians for Europe ended with a manifesto calling for the recognition of Christianity's contribution to the continent.
The weekend convention also called for respect of fundamental rights, such as the right to life and to religious liberty, in the future European Constitution. The event attracted 150 participants, including politicians, Europarliamentarians, university presidents, businessmen, doctors, lawyers, teachers, Christian labor unionists, nongovernmental organizations and Church figures.
In response to those who believe that the European Constitution should be "neutral" and not mention the religious reality of the Continent, the convention participants said that "neutrality does not consist in denying the social dimension of the Christian conscience of the majority of the people of Europe, but in recognizing it, together with other religious and non-religious global conceptions with which it dialogues, to obtain the European common good and universal fraternity."
The manifesto recognizes that "the dignity of the person, in all his/her dimensions, must be recognized as a basic constitutional principle and foundation of the European construction." Hence, it clarifies, "the right to life must be respected at all times of existence, from conception until natural death." "This also implies the need to protect the embryo from any attack against its integrity and from all genetic manipulation contrary to its human dignity; and the elderly and sick from every temptation of physical elimination for supposed humanitarian reasons," the document states.
The convention explains that a new constitutional treaty must recognize that "religious liberty constitutes a fundamental right, without which liberty and democracy are not possible." Likewise, it continues, "it requires the right of social expression of such religious convictions." Lastly, the convention presents four petitions to the future constitution:
John Paul II Invited to Address European Parliament
President Says Convention Will Listen
[Code: ZE03011001, Date: 2002-12-08 Vatican news service]
VATICAN CITY, JAN. 10, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The president of the European Parliament believes that the European Convention will keep in mind John Paul II's requests when writing the continent's Constitution. Irishman Patrick Cox, who was received in audience Jan. 3 by the Pope and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, invited the Holy Father to address the Parliament to "shake consciences."
In an interview Thursday with the Italian newspaper Avvenire, Cox said the text of the future Constitution will respect the identity of Catholics "as well as the civil and legal rights of churches." "I think that some of the recommendations of European Catholics have been included in the draft that was circulated in the past weeks," he said. At the same time, the Convention that is writing the document is "sovereign," and the Parliament is outside of it. Because of this, Cox suggested that additional information on this issue be requested from its president, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, or the vice presidents, Jean-Luc Dehaene and Giuliano Amato. "I am sure that the members of the Convention will know how to listen to the Pope's voice," Cox added. "His voice is unique, irreplaceable; it would be a special moment for him and for all of us." "He might shake consciences on the Middle East, on peace in Palestine, on the Iraqi question, and, if he considers it opportune, recall his message on European Christian identity," Cox said ZE03011001
Pope on 1/7/03 Following the audience, Vatican Press Office director Joaqu n Navarro-Valls explained in a statement that the Holy See does not ask for a privileged legal status. Rather, it asks "for the safeguarding of the effective exercise of religious liberty, in full respect of the secular character of civil and community institutions, as well as of non-confessional organizations," he said. ZE03010605
Pope on 1/13/03
"A Europe which disavowed its past, which denied the fact of religion, and
which had no spiritual dimension would be extremely impoverished in face of the
ambitious project which calls upon all its energies: constructing a Europe for
all!" John Paul II emphasized. ZE03011304
EC President Backs Inclusion of Christianity in a
European Constitution
Romano Prodi's Letter Supports Convention of
Christians
BARCELONA, Spain, JAN. 6, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The president of the European Commission
says the future European Constitution should not exclude cultural and religious
traditions, especially the Christian, which forged the continent.
In a letter to the Convention of Christians for Europe,
Prodi expressed his "appreciation" and "support" of the
meeting, which was held here Dec 6-8 and culminated in the Barcelona manifesto
(see http://www.eurocristians.org). "In the process of construction of the
new Europe, no one can remain on the margin or be unknown, to say nothing of
excluded; the cultural and religious traditions cannot be neglected, especially
the Christian, which has been and is indispensable for defining the memory and
future hope of Europe," Prodi
stated. "In Europe, the future of Christianity is closely linked to that
of the challenges of the Continent, as well as to its responsibilities before
the world in this historic moment," he added.
According to the commission's Italian president, the
European Union "must demonstrate to the world that there is a democratic
and civil way of administering globalization, stemming from democracy itself,
stability and peace." "In order for this to be possible, we need all
the values of our tradition: the secular and religious," Prodi concluded.
In response to those who believe that the Constitution should be "neutral" and not mention religion, the convention participants said that "neutrality does not consist in denying the social dimension of the Christian conscience of the majority of the people of Europe, but in recognizing it, together with other religious and non-religious global conceptions with which it dialogues, to obtain the European common good and universal fraternity." ZE03010602
Giscard against religious reference in constitution
http://www.euobserver.com/index.phtml?aid=9192
A move to keep church and state entirely separate will be met by huge resistance from many delegates in the Convention (Photo: European Commission)
Valéry Giscard d'Estaing has formally opened the debate on
the place of religion in the future EU constitution. In an interview with the
German weekly, Die Zeit, the Convention
president let it be known that he is against a reference to God in the future
text.
The question of whether a reference should be made to Europe's "religious heritage" is one of the most contentious issues in the Convention on the future of Europe, which is currently drawing up a constitution. Mr Giscard, reports Der Standard, conceded that Europeans have a religious heritage but that they live in a purely secular-political system where religion does not play a role.
A move to keep church and state entirely separate will be met by huge resistance in the Convention, and within Mr Giscard's own presidium, where several members belong to the conservative European People's Party (EPP). The EPP has been strongly pushing for a reference to religion, with one presidium member, John Bruton, signing up to a petition calling for an article which states: "The Union values shall include the values of those who believe in God as the source of truth, justice, good and beauty as well as of those who do not share such a belief but respect these universal values arising from other sources."
The presidium has been massively lobbied by both religious and secular groups. Mr Giscard has also discussed the matter with the Pope. In November last year the Pope spoke on the matter asking the Convention not to forget the "cement of that extraordinary religious, cultural and civic heritage that has made Europe great down the centuries."
The Convention itself
has not formally debated the matter yet.
[Pray now]
Press Articles Der Standard Die Welt Written by Honor Mahony Edited by Sharon Spiteri
The EU Convention: (Selected
information for religious concerns)
http://www.euractiv.com/cgi-bin/cgint.exe/2939469-702?targ=1&204&OIDN=1504501&-home=home
EU BULLETIN 16.01.2003
EUOB: Paris and Berlin propose EU foreign ministry - (plus more)
http://www.euobs.com/index.phtml?sid=9&aid=9033
Future EU: A European
Constitution as of 11/12/2002
In short: The
Convention presented the first elements of the future constitutional treaty in
November and its definitive proposal for the future of the EU is due to be
published by mid-2003.
EU Convention working groups
In short: The Convention has established 11 working groups to deal with the main issues concerning the future of the EU. The working groups are preparing recommendations that will be included in the Convention's proposal for a future EU Constitutional Treaty, due to be tabled by June 2003. Several working groups have already concluded their work. Here is an overview of the main conclusions:
(The three working groups selected by EURCP for significance)
Group 2: Charter of Fundamental Rights (11/1/03)
Final report The Charter should have a legally binding character;
- it should be integrated into the Constitutional Treaty as the first chapter;
- the substance of the Charter will not be re-opened, but some technical adjustments to the horizontal clauses are required;
- the EU should accede to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)..
Group 4: National parliaments (11/1/03)
Final report The future Constitutional Treaty should contain specific wording that acknowledges the importance of the active involvement of national parliaments in the activities of the EU;
- parliaments should ensure the scrutiny of governments' action in the Council, including the monitoring of the respect of the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality;
- the Council should act in public in all cases where it exercises its legislative functions;
policy coordination, as well as other activities, should be conducted with open doors as much as possible;
clear reasons should be given when closed sessions are deemed necessary;
- records of Council proceedings should be sent within 10 days to the European Parliament and to the national parliaments, parallel to the transmission to governments
Group 10: Freedom, Security and Justice (11/1/03)
Final report the current "Third pillar" provisions should be brought under a common general legal framework; introduce, as much as possible, a separation between "legislative" and "operational" tasks
Future EU: Key
Constitutional issues
http://www.euractiv.com/cgi-bin/cgint.exe/2939469-702?targ=5&714&1015=3&1014=feu_keyissues&-tt=FUKILD
SUMMARY excerpts
Constitution
- There is broad consensus that the EU should have a new constitutional treaty or a constitution that would simplify the existing treaties.
- The Convention will present the first outline of the constitution at the plenary session on 28 October 2002.
- The final proposal is due in June 2003.
- The Convention's proposal will be taken up by EU leaders when they convene for the Intergovernmental Conference in late 2003 or beginning of 2004
Presidency
EurActiv Brief news 11/01/03: IHT web page16/1/2003 follows.
French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor
Gerhard Schröder have bridged their differences over reform of the EU institutions
by agreeing to replace the current system of six-month rotating Presidency for
the EU by a more permanent president to be elected by the Union's Council of
Ministers. The president would be elected to one five-year term or a 2 1/2-year
term renewable once. <http://www.iht.com/articles/83514.html>
Earlier in 2002
- British Prime Minister Tony Blair wants a powerful president of the European Council to replace the six-month rotating presidency. The proposal is backed by Spain and Italy
- The smaller Member States and candidate countries reject the proposal to have an EU President, which they see as a threat to their interests.
Role of the national parliaments
There are several proposals to give the national parliaments a bigger say in running the EU.
- The Convention President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing proposed setting up a Congress of the national parliaments and the European parliament to oversee EU policy-making.
- The Convention Group on Subsidiarity proposed that the national parliaments should be able to reject laws proposed by the Commission if they believed the issues could be better dealt with at a national level.
- This suggests a tendency to give power back to the nation states.
Commission
- There has been no discussion yet on the size of the Commission. Germany suggested that Commission posts could be shared out together with Presidency of individual Council posts.
Council
- The Convention is inclined to support a considerable extension of qualified majority voting in the Council. That would allow the big Member States to centralise control in the Council without having to deal with vetoes from small countries
(Editor’s note: Consider the attitudes and concerns of
the new, often smaller countries joining the EU and pray about how this might
help or hinder Christian freedoms.)
Legal Personality
- The
Convention endorsed the conclusions of its Working Group on Legal Personality
which proposed simplifying the EU's legal structure, based on a complex three
pillar system.
- According to this
proposal, the Treaty of the European Community and the Treaty of the European
Union should be merged into a single treaty and a single legal personality.
- This should
empower the EU to sign international agreements and be represented in
international organisations, such as the United Nations.
- The new treaty
should allow the EU to express a single position on the world stage and be
represented by a single delegation.
- The Convention Chairman Valéry Giscard d'Estaing proposed that the current European Community and European Union should chose a single new name, such as United Europe or United States of Europe
Charter of fundamental rights
There is a huge majority in favour of including the Charter in the future constitution.
There is some opposition, especially from Britain, to make the Charter legally binding and enforceable in courts.
Church Wants Safeguards for Laws When
Poland Joins EU
Asks the Government to Include Appendix in Treaty
WARSAW, Poland, JAN. 24, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Polish bishops asked the government to
ensure that laws protecting life, marriage and families will be honored when
the nation joins the European Union.
The prelates asked the center-left government to include an appendix in the
treaty of nation's accession to the European Union, which would guarantee the
"defense of life from birth until natural death," the protection of
marriage as a "union of man and woman," and the safeguarding of the
family, as stipulated by the Polish Constitution.
The bishops fear that EU legislation will oblige Poland to alter its national
legislation, which includes the
prohibition of most abortions.
To ensure that Polish legislation
is protected, and that the wave of acceptance of homosexual unions does not
spread to Poland, the bishops wish to imitate the examples of Ireland and
Malta, whose accession treaties have similar appendixes.
The Polish government, which has just over a week left to finish writing the
accession treaty, told the bishops that the European Union leaves all
legislation relating to morality and culture to the sovereign discretion of
member countries. The government also promised to study the case.
But European Community sources in Brussels said that
the inclusion of an appendix to Poland's treaty of accession is no longer
possible as talks for accession concluded in December.
Ecclesial authorities have supported Poland's integration in the European Union.
But they have always insisted on defending their Christian identity within
Europe, a continent they say is tainted by secularism and "cultural
relativism."
ZE03012402
Enlarging the European Area of freedom, security and justice.
New nations of the European Union
CZECH REPUBLIC (CZ), ESTONIA (EE), HUNGARY (HU), LATVIA (LV), LITHUANIA (LT), MALTA (MT),
POLAND (PL), ROMANIA (RO), SLOVAKIA (SK), SLOVENIA (SI), TURKEY (TR)
The future member states
After growing from 6 to 15 members, the next enlargement of the European Union is around the corner. The EU has
agreed to admit 10 new members from central Europe and the Mediterranean who meet the political criteria – stable
democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law. As full market economies, they will implement all the EU’s common rules and policies. After ratification of their accession treaty, they will join the EU in 2004, in time for the elections to the European Parliament. Meanwhile, Romania and Bulgaria continue their negotiations, which could begin with Turkey once it has fulfilled the political conditions.
TOMORROW’S EUROPE THE KEY ISSUES
If you want to know more about the enlargement of the EU or anything else on the EU, visit the Commission’s website:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/
Look for the nearest information point at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/networks/eic/eic.html
http://europa.eu.int/comm/relays/index_en.htm
or contact the Enlargement information centre: +32 2 545 9010 - enlargement@cec.eu.int or call Europe Direct from anywhere in the EU: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11
Support for Christian prayer and for some involvement in the European Union is still increasing through much of Belgium. Christian leaders will meet June 14, 2003 in order to firm up plans for a future conference for many Christians in Belgium and their concerns in the European Union. Invitees to this meeting will include representatives from all of the interested Christian community. Along with prayer, this will be another step in Belgium along the road to mobilizing the churches of Europe for concerns about their government. Those interested in helping plan this conference should contact Pastor Vandeput at his email VDPR@topc.org, or Kris Vleugels Kris@vleugels.org PRAY for this conference and its final plans and success.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EU
ASK EURCP: Do you have a question about the EU and Christian concerns? Ask it. Email us - we’ll find a good response from a responsible person.
NEWS SOURCE WEB PAGES ON EU ISSUES (Get knowledge directly)
http://www.euractiv.com (EurActiv)
http://www.euobserver.com/ (EU observer)
http://europa.eu.int/ (Europa EU official web pages)
http://www.theepc.be/ (European Policy Centre)
http://www2.echo.lu/ (I*M Europe Portal Page)
http://www.europe2020.org/ (Europe 2020)
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PPmi (Praise & Prayer Ministries International) is conducting this multi-denominational ministry under the mission program of the Assemblies of God Western Europe office outside of Brussels, Belgium. The mailing address there is: EMC/EURCP (Gerald Branum.) 45 Chaussee de Waterloo, 1640 Rhode Saint Genese, BELGIUM
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