The high school Martin Azpilcueta of the School of Canon Law of the University of Navarra will host for three days the XI Symposium of the Symposium International Symposium"Foundations of the Catholic Church. Canonical and Civil Aspects". "Foundations are an expression of the richness and plurality, of the expectations and concerns of civil society; the ideal vehicle for channeling the altruism of citizens who are willing to part with their patrimony to dedicate it to purposes of general interest," declared Jorge Otaduypresident of committee , organizer of the Symposium.

Specialists from various universities will analyze the canonical and civil aspects of Catholic Church Foundations. The Symposium "comes at a great opportunity, since the Draft Bill of the Law of Foundations, drafted by the current government, has just been made public and has been received with great caution by the sector".

Although some rough edges have been ironed out in the text before it was made public," continued Professor Otaduy, "there are aspects which, in the opinion of authoritative voices, could represent a step backwards with respect to the current regime. The eagerness to curb certain abuses supposedly produced in the past, inspires a tendency to accentuate the interventory Schools of the Protectorate and to reduce the scope of the legitimate economic activity of the foundations. To this is added a truly intimidating administrative sanctioning regime".

According to Jorge Otaduy, the provisions of the Preliminary Draft Law at subject of canonical foundations deserve a negative grade , since they lead to the ignorance of their specificities. "The intention of the rule, in summary, is to extend the application of the State Law to all religious foundations, including the subjection to the public Protectorate, both at the moment of constitution and in the exercise of their activities".

Professor Otaduy, director of high school Martín de Azpilcueta, said that "it is difficult to understand the meaning of this provision, which, if approved in these terms, would put an end to the legal tradition, established among us since the first socialist law on foundations at subject ".

In recent decades, the volume and social impact of foundations has increased, and there has been an institutional strengthening of the sector, which has become more organized and efficient. The Symposium is an "opportunity for systematic study and presentation of proposals for change," said Professor Otaduy.

Also in this first workshop have intervened Juan-Cruz Alli Turrillasprofessor of Commercial Law at the UNED of Madrid and Remigio Beneytoof the Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera University of Valencia, among others.

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