Bishop Michael meets EU leaders to discuss citizenship

Bishop Michael was the Anglican representative at the Higher Level Dialogue meeting with faith leaders and the European President, José Manuel Barroso, in Brussels last week.

Mr Barroso invited religious organisations to actively contribute to the public debate currently on-going within the European Year of Citizens 2013 as well as the recently launched initiative on a new narrative for Europe.

He said: "As we are taking action to move Europe out of the economic crisis, it is clear that we also have to weather another crisis: a crisis of trust, a crisis of values. We have to bring citizens back at the heart of our common project of European integration, by debating why it makes sense to act together as a Union.

"I strongly believe that the active involvement of religious communities is essential in this undertaking. The religious leaders I have invited today have an important contribution to make to this EU-wide debate on the future of Europe."

Canon Dr Gary Wilton, the Archbishop of Canterbury's representative in Brussels said: "This year's event confirmed the high standing of the Church of England in the Brussels context as well as the clear expectation that we will make a significant contribution to the high level dialogue."

Bishop Michael's comments about the importance of intermediate institutions including the family were "well received" as was his second intervention about virtue ethics, Dr Wilton added.