Position Papers

Budget does not go far enough to address economic hardships

The Justice and Peace Commission, within the Archdiocese of Malta, welcomes the social measures in Malta’s 2025 Budget, but believes more should be done to secure a dignified standard of living for those facing economic hardships.

The Commission also stresses the need for ongoing improvements to address the broader social needs of vulnerable groups — especially the elderly, homeless, and migrant workers — who face significant barriers daily… Read more »

Europe’s Promise of Peace

As the European Union navigates a world marked by conflicts and division, Justice and Peace Europe, the Community of Sant’Egidio and Pax Christi International, as Catholic organisations, urge a reaffirmation of the EU’s foundational commitment to Just Peace. This vision, as envisaged by the EU’s Founders, sees peace not merely as the absence of war, but as a lasting goal rooted in justice, human dignity, and dialogue… Read more »

Justice for workers: rights, dignity and a better quality of life

The Maltese economic system is built on worker exploitation.

The economic growth of the past years should have improved the quality of life of workers. Instead, we are in a situation where many workers have to make do with low wages, work precariously, and in bad conditions. We believe that we should shift to an economic model based on social justice.

On the 1st of May, Workers’ Day, the campaign “Justice for Workers” was launched with the presentation of a document outlining how we can shift towards an economic system based on social justice… Read more »

Continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine

The Secretaries General of the European Justice and Peace Commissions met in Berlin between the 9th and 11th February, as an alternative to the scheduled place of Lviv, which was not considered safe enough due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In Berlin, we listened to refugees from Ukraine and to organisations supporting them. On Saturday evening we prayed for peace in front of the Russian embassy and on Sunday, we celebrated the Holy Eucharist together with the local Ukrainian Greek-Catholic parish… Read more »

Make the transition towards a people-centred and sustainable economy finally happen

The Catholic Justice and Peace Networks of the Patria Grande, bringing together 14 Commissions and Teams that work for Justice and Peace in the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, and Justice and Peace Europe, bringing together 32 European National Commissions for Justice and Peace, wish to call on the upcoming CELAC-EU Summit of Heads of State and Government (Brussels, 17-18 July 2023) to agree on necessary steps for a transition towards a people-centred and sustainable economy… Read more »

Recommendations to the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe

The Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Council of Europe will be held in Reykjavík on May 16–17 2023. This is the fourth time in the 74-year history of the organisation that the leaders of the member states meet under the auspices of the Council.

The Summit will reaffirm the principles of the Council of Europe, as well as the Council’s support for Ukraine… Read more »

Public Consultation on proposed regulations on the Contractor’s Licence

The Justice and Peace Commission welcomes this public consultation and believes that if it is robust enough and its implementation properly enforced, the proposed regulations on the Contractor’s licence can be a step in the right direction. Also, we are aware that measures concerning who can enter the construction market as a contractor on their own, while important, cannot provide a comprehensive solution to all the well-known problems affecting this industry… Read more »

Respect for international nuclear disarmament agreements is not a form of weakness, but a source of strength

With Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its consequences, the world seems to have regressed into a new Cold War dynamic, involving a dangerous rhetoric with threats of use of nuclear weapons. Eroding respect for the principles of international law, including arms control agreements, undermines trust within the international community. Along with renewed strategic rivalry among nuclear powers and evolving technologies, this makes the scenario of an intentional or accidental nuclear detonation very real… Read more »

Peace is the fruit of Justice

On 24 February 2022 the Russian government launched a brutal and undeclared invasion of Ukraine. Like many civil society actors, Justice and Peace Europe immediately condemned the Russian aggression. Today, as secretaries general of Justice and Peace Commissions in Europe we reaffirm on the foundation of our Christian values and convictions that whilst diplomacy remains essential, some principles are non-negotiable, in particular respect for the dignity of every human being, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and the imperative of non-aggression, which is the basis for peaceful coexistence… Read more »

Forging a new culture of peace – A strategy for Europe

Surveying global affairs today may leave us with a sense of disorientation, unpredictability or even fear. European nations are confronted and challenged on the global stage with fragile trust in international legal frameworks and multilateral mechanisms, even if seeds of hope seem to be emerging with the revival of the transatlantic partnership. The Conference of European Justice and Peace Commissions, composed of more than thirty national commissions is convinced that the way forward for Europe as a whole is to be found in the development of a new culture of peace… Read more »