Website: Caritas-Europa

Caritas Europa is one of the seven regions of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed, in over 200 countries and territories.

Caritas Europa was created in 1971 and brings together 48 organisations that are working in 44 European countries. Caritas Europa focuses its activities on issues related to poverty and social inequality, and issues of migration and asylum, both within the European Union and in all other European countries. The organisation is strongly involved in supporting the activities of its members in the fields of international cooperation: Humanitarian aid, Development and peace.

With regard to the areas of work named above, Caritas Europa and its members develop and implement policies related to political advocacy and lobbying at a European level as well as at national levels.

The Secretariat in Brussels co-ordinates the institutional support to the member organisations. It is in charge of the coordination of the Caritas Europa activities as directed by an Executive Board. It is tradition that the President and Vice President of this Board are persons delegated by one organisation from Western Europe and one organisation from Eastern Europe. The operational work is carried out by thematic commissions which are coordinated by desk officers under the leadership of the Secretary General.

This network is one of the most important international social actors in Europe. It works together with the European institutions, with Member States and with many different public authorities, as well as with many public and private partners around the world, including Caritas organisations in other regions.