(Brussels) Poverty, which currently threatens 119 million European citizens, one quarter of the EU population, was the key topic discussed at the meeting of the Commission of the EU Bishops Conferences (Comece), which ended in Brussels today. The bishops of the 28 member states of the European Union spoke of poverty with Caritas Europe, leaders “of the local authorities and the European Commission”, as explained in a note by the secretariat of Comece, and with some volunteers and guests of 5 Catholic organisations that work with poor people in Brussels. The results of these days’ meeting will be addressed in a ”joint document that will contain effective measures and will try to steer the poverty-defeating policies around human dignity”, the notice announces. “Walking next to the poor is a duty of the Church”, pointed out card. Reinhard Marx, president of Comece, and “everyone having a place in a community of peace and prosperity” is still “the key goal of the European project”. The bishops also “mentioned how important it is for the EU institutions to really serve the women and men of Europe, especially the most vulnerable ones”, and called Europe to be a “supportive community” again; as to the Church, in Europe “it must share its wealth of fraternity”. The bishops reiterated their appeal “for a European asylum legislation that is global and supported by all the member states”.