The Church and Society Commission (CSC) provides a platform for the CEC membership to reflect on socio-ethical issues ecumenically and to involve them in common action and advocacy in relation to the European Union, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the United Nations (in European matters). CSC operates as a forum for action, dialogue and ecumenical training in European affairs.
CSC bases its action on a work programme which is determined by a 25-person Commission in agreement with CEC’s Central Committee. The CSC Commission plenary meets once a year. In between the annual meetings, the work is governed by the CSC Executive Committee. CSC has a secretariat in Brussels and Strasbourg and maintains close relations with the CEC General Secretariat in Geneva.
CSC acts through its working groups, task forces and expert networks. It holds consultations on topical issues of concern to the churches or for which no established European policy is yet in place. CSC closely co-operates with other church-related organisations and NGOs such as CCME, Eurodiaconia, Aprodev and COMECE.
At its Spring 2009 Plenary meeting the CSC identified the following strategic objectives for its future work:
• Further developing CSC as a pan-European resource centre for its member churches and for their input to national governments on a selected number of European and international policy issues.
• Strengthening CSC’s role in providing platforms and instruments for ecumenical (theological, socio-ethical) dialogue on a selected range of priority church and society issues.
• Facilitating, resourcing, and coordinating the engagement and advocacy of the churches in relation to the European institutions.
