02/04/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Commission of the Bishops' Conference of the European Community (COECE), during its spring plenary meeting, on 29 and 30 March in the Vatican, raised several "current challenges" for the EU namely: - the problems of immigration and asylum, by underlining the need to help those who come to the EU to protect themselves against persecution. Solidarity with regards to immigrants is a challenge for us all, as Christians and Europeans, say the bishops; - education in information society, by calling in particular for the protection of minors against content that could damage their development. The bishops underline that children and adolescents must not only acquire technical skills, but also receive the education necessary to develop a critical interaction with the media that surrounds them; - the BSE and foot and mouth disease crises, by expressing their solidarity with the farmers hit by these crises.