EUReview & Call to Prayer (EURCP)- Dec. 2006

Newsletter publishers: Hugh & Norma Davis

WEB PAGES http://www.euprayer.com/

14 prayer walls in Europe  Emmanuel Duvieusart, Pasteur fondateur, “Sentinelles De Priere”   email info@sentinelles.info 

http://ccea.sentinelles.free.fr/US/– [Monthly in five other languages]

« Glory to God in the highest,  and on earth peace, good will toward men » Lk 2 :14, NKJ

 

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NIGHTWATCH FOR EUROPE: week beginning Sunday October 22nd 2006

‘Could you not watch with me for one hour?’ (Mtt26: 40)

admin@passion.org.uk [THANK YOU FOR KEEPING GOING WITH THIS WATCH! WITH OUR LOVE,

ROGER & TEAM

 

PRAY INTO THE OUTCOME OF LAST WEEK’S CONNECT EUROPE GATHERING IN ISTANBUL

Marc van der Woude [info@connecteurope.org] writes:

“As a team we sense that Istanbul 2006 was our last Connect Europe gathering in this format. Over the past two years we've provided 'vital space' for reformation-wired people across the continent to build friendship and learn from each other. Now it's time to move on in a different mode. It's like the drummer in the Sigur Ros movie - there was a time to beat the drum and mobilise the tribes, but now it's time to cast the drum aside, run uphill and jump off the cliff. If we're not careful, the good can become the enemy of the best.

 

So will Connect continue? Yes, but in a different mode. We're moving towards a more intentional (dispersed) community, see the need to invest ourselves in our regions and professional fields, and believe it's time to see apostolic teams Luke 10-style visiting places and breaking open new ground for the gospel. Yes, it's time to leave our safety-zones and live more dangerously.It's clear that Istanbul was a stepping stone into the Middle East and Asia and through the meetings in Australia and Malaysia God is moving Connect even globally. But in all this the time to talk paradigms is over, it's time to live it.”

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FOUR UNIVERSITIES – losing freedom of speech and human rights.

From: Parliamentary Prayers Scotland [anne.pps@btinternet.com]To: [subcribers] 

Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 11:04 PM

Praise God Bishops have spoken up for them.  Christian Union’s in Exeter, Birmingham, Heriot Watt, Edinburgh  and Edinburgh University are facing increasing difficulties in being allowed to function on campus.    Praise God the Lawyers’Christian Fellowship are offering legal advice and support which may result in legal cases.  However, this puts enormous pressure on students running CU’s when they are studying for their degrees.    Pray for the students for wisdom, courage, strength, ability to hold it all together. www.lawcf.org

 

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1Europe & Constitution

2

1 Enlargement

2

1 Operations

2

1Human Rights

2

1 Politics

2

 

Europe & Constitution

An agenda for Europe

http://www.economist.com/theworldin/europe/displayStory.cfm?story_id=8132709&d=2007

From The World in 2007 print edition

Germany takes over the European Union’s rotating presidency on January 1st 2007. Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, outlines her plans

 

The world is becoming ever smaller. This comment can be heard or read whenever the advance of globalisation is discussed. It is often followed by a second observation: that although the world’s size is diminishing, the dimensions of the tasks, problems and challenges facing us are not. This may well be true. But what is definitely true is that globalisation brings with it a host of new and different challenges—for politics, economics and society. The European Union, too, must respond to these. For the world will not wait for Europe. Indeed, other regions are developing with breathtaking speed. Germany’s aim during its six-month EU presidency is therefore to help ensure that the European Union rises to these challenges.

 

European integration was a ground-breaking idea, a response to decades, indeed centuries, of enmity and warfare in our part of the world. The European Union is founded on values that all of us share—respect for human rights, freedom, justice, democracy and the rule of law—values that evolved progressively over the centuries and owe much to the Christian tradition and the Enlightenment. The success of European integration will always be rooted in these values.

 

To mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome on March 25th 2007, I have invited the heads of state and government of the EU member countries and the presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament to a summit in Berlin. This summit will be an excellent opportunity to reaffirm in a joint political declaration the values and goals of the European Union, which all member states are bound to uphold and pursue. The German EU presidency will focus on two main tasks: revitalising Europe’s economy and deciding how Europe should be “constituted”—in other words, taking forward the constitutional process.

Working on the market [see full article]

 

Consulting on the constitution

The overdue reform of the European Union—which is what the constitutional treaty is all about—cannot be put onto the back burner. With the treaty establishing a constitution for Europe, we now have a consensus among our governments on the changes needed in all major areas of an enlarged European Union. Under the treaty, national parliaments will be entitled at an early stage to scrutinise new European legislation, and the respective competences of the European Union and the member states will be clearly demarcated, making the EU’s institutions better able to act and reducing the risk of gridlock. Basic rights, too, as an expression of our European values, will have the force of law.

 

All this is vital if Europe is to function effectively and prosper in the future. During its presidency, therefore, Germany will hold intensive consultations with all the member states and with the organs of the European Union to find ways of injecting new life into the constitutional process. We have to remember one key fact: European policy has an impact on almost all areas of national policy. It cannot and should not be enacted over people’s heads. The citizens of Europe must be involved in decisions on European policy if we want Europe and European integration to be a success. That is why in future civil society will have a much more prominent role to play. This too—the strengthening of civil society—is right at the top of the European agenda.

 

Europe is our future. From global trade to environmental protection, from illegal migration to issues of international security—there are many fields in which nation-states will be unable effectively to defend their interests on their own in the world of tomorrow. If we Europeans want to help shape globalisation in accordance with our European values, we have to pool our resources. Our partners, too, rightly expect Europe to assume a degree of international responsibility that is commensurate with its weight. Germany will continue to play its part in strengthening the voice of the European Union in a shrinking world

 

Actually, it's more a case of Europe falling apart in 2006

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-3-2445767-13090,00.html

From Charles Bremner in Paris The Times November 10, 2006

France has sent a stiff complaint to Brussels about the European Union’s choice of logo to commemorate its 50th birthday next year. The offending image, a child-like rendition of the English word together, does nothing to serve the cause of European unity, the French Government claims.

 

Their objections come after a shower of rude comment throughout Europe about the logo, which was chosen at a cost of €200,000 (£134,000) last month by a jury of experts from EU institutions and member states. The winning entry from among 1,700 submissions was the work of a Polish art student. A common gibe on the internet is that the jumbled letters evoke a ransom note more than festive celebration of the 1957 Treaty of Rome. The full slogan says: “Together since 1957”. In a letter to José Manuel Barroso, President of the EU Commission, Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe, said: “The logo creates a problem. The message of European unity is not there because each logo is different.” She was referring to plans for each country to produce a version in its own language. [More in link above]

 

50th anniversary celebrations focus on youth

 http://www.euractiv.com/en/agenda2004/50th-anniversary-celebrations-focus-youth/article-159111

Published: Wednesday 25 October 2006 | Updated: Thursday 26 October 2006

A youth summit in Rome is the centrepiece of the EU’s ‘youth package’ to celebrate the signing of the Rome Treaties 50 years ago.

 

Brief News:The youth summit will be held in March 2007 to coincide with the European Council in Berlin. The idea is that young people across Europe will have the opportunity to discuss Europe’s future not only among themselves but also with the Council itself by means of a live transmission.  There will be: 1. An event linking schools from all over Europe that will allow children to communicate with one another; 2 a ‘Spring Day in Europe’ which will strive to raise awareness of Europe’s achievements, and; 3. a project bringing 50 citizens born in each of the years to give their views on the European project.

Commission Vice-President Margot Wallström said: “I hope that the anniversary events will make people think: 'What kind of Europe do I want for tomorrow?'.”Alejo Vidal Quadras, vice-president of the European Parliament for Information and Communication policy, added: “It is essential that the EU Institutions and member states seize the opportunity presented by the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome to intensify the debate on the future of Europe.”

 

The EU is still in a period of reflection, following the rejection of the Constitutional Treaty by French and Dutch voters in 2005.

 

Irish PM suggests EU leaders should learn from Nice Treaty rejection

30.11.2006 - 09:16  http://euobserver.com/9/22982/?rk=1

The Irish prime minister has indicated that the steps he took to get theNice Treaty ratified in Ireland after it was rejected by voters may be theway to go forward with the blocked EU constitution.

 

Finnish PM to unveil EU constitution research at summit –

27.11.2006 - 11:33 http://euobserver.com/9/22958/?rk=1
Finland has during its EU presidency quietly attempted to create a basis for breaking the EU's constitutional deadlock, with its prime minister Matti Vanhahen due to present a "summary" of Helsinki's findings at the EU leaders' summit on 14-15 December.

 

Enlargement

Brussels proposes 'slowing down' of Turkish EU talks

 29.11.2006 - 17:40  http://euobserver.com/9/22981/?rk=1

The European Commission has recommended to sanction Turkey for its stance on the Cyprus issue by suspending parts of Ankara's EU accession talks, in a move sparking immediate political debate among EU member states.

MEPs outline list of EU reforms for future enlargement

14.11.2006 - 09:34 http://euobserver.com/9/22850/?rk=1

MEPs have listed institutional reforms they think are needed before any future EU enlargement, while having different views on whether a candidate like Croatia should be let in even without such changes.

 

Ex-commissioner warns against Brussels 'federalism'

09.11.2006 - 17:15 http://euobserver.com/9/22827/?rk=1

Former Dutch member of the European Commission Frits Bolkestein has strongly criticised Brussels for meddling too much into national affairs, calling upon commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso to temper some of his "federal-minded" commissioners.

Operations
 France to leave group of EU deficit culprits

 30.11.2006 - 09:21  http://euobserver.com/9/22983/?rk=1

The European Commission has recommended that France is cleared from EU penalty procedure as its public deficit has dropped below the bloc's threshold. There are still ten countries failing EU deficit limits, including Germany, UK, Italy and Poland

 

UK and Netherlands in EU budget transparency moves –

21.11.2006 - 09:16 http://euobserver.com/9/22909/?rk=1
The UK and the Netherlands have both launched EU budget transparency steps
in what could eventually lead to a name and shame process if other member
states are wrongfooted into doing the same thing.

Human Rights

Racism on the rise in Europe, new study says

28.11.2006 - 17:32  http://euobserver.com/9/22968/?rk=1
Although there is a lack of objective data on discrimination and racist violence in several EU member states, a new study suggests that racism has increased in Europe, particularly towards the Roma community, Muslims, Jews and immigrants.

Human rights watchdog campaigns to end violence against women

- 28.11.2006 - 10:05 http://euobserver.com/9/22966/?rk=1

One fifth to one quarter of all women in Europe have experienced physical
violence at least once during their lives while more than one tenth have
suffered sexual violence, according to a new report by Europe's main human
rights watchdog.

MEPs join campaign for legal force of EU citizens petitions –

 09.11.2006 - 17:54 http://euobserver.com/9/22829/?rk=1
Civil society activists backed by several MEPs have launched a campaign for a new EU law recognizing the legal force of citizens' petitions signed by one million Europeans - in a bid to avoid waiting passively for the EU constitution which introduced the idea.

Politics

Commissioners reject Sarkozy mini treaty plan –

22.11.2006 - 17:45  -http://euobserver.com/9/22932/?rk=1
The European Commission is signalling growing interest in ideas to boost the EU constitution with new elements which are attractive to citizens, while openly attacking French proposals to reduce the charter to a "mini treaty."
 

Former EU leaders call for 'political leap' in Europe –

20.11.2006 - 09:29  http://euobserver.com/9/22902/?rk=1
Several former EU politicians have called for a "leap" on the European political scene to create enough impetus to see through institutional reform in the bloc by 2009.

Poettering to face 'fair chair' rival for top Parliament job –

14.11.2006 - 18:35  http://euobserver.com/9/22856/?rk=1
With German MEP Hans-Gert Poettering now approved as the centre-right candidate for the European Parliament's presidency, a group of MEPs across the political spectrum have launched a campaign calling for a set of parliament reforms.

 

EURCP readers – Keep the European Union of Prayer – in your prayers - along with Chairman Ortwin Schweitzer – We are planning to be active during the 50th EU/Rome Treaty anniversary – we will keep you informed on how to pray

 

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EUReview & Call to Prayer Ministries, Hugh and Norma Davis EURCP@aol.com , http://www.euprayer.com

Also contact http://ccea.sentinelles.free.fr/US/  Emmanuel Duvieusart, for Prayer Wall, email info@sentinelles.info 

 

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