A profile of the Red Cross in the EU Facts and Figures 2003 A Profile of the Red Cross in the European Union (EU) Facts and Figures In the EU, the Red Cross network represents over one million volunteers, employs 110,000 people and has over a thousand staff working internationally. Although each National Society belongs to a different social, political and cultural system and performs different tasks, all share the same basic unifying principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. In the EU, the Red Cross is a major provider of social and emergency services and a partner in policy discussions pertaining to humanitarian issues both within and outside the EU. Since 1983, the National Red Cross Societies of the EU, together with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, have established a representation and liaising office in Brussels, in order to facilitate cooperation between the EU National Societies and to bring the grass roots experience to the attention of the European institutions. This publication presents a profile of the 15 EU National Societies: their structure and main activities and their common interests within the EU context. It does not claim to be exhaustive. Realities, facts and figures change from day-to-day and we will update these profiles on a regular basis. The many challenges that lie ahead include the preoccupation of the Red Cross of how best to serve the most vulnerable in an ever changing environment; and the importance of its specific mandate and role within society being recognized by both national authorities and the EU Institutions. In view of EU enlargement, we also look forward to strengthening relations with the National Societies of the candidate countries of Eastern, Central and Southern Europe. If you already belong to the Red Cross, as a volunteer, as an employee, or as a supporter, I hope that you will find something in these pages that makes you want to find out more about colleagues and their activities in other parts of the European Union. If you work in government, in another voluntary organisation, in a research institute, or the commercial sector, we hope that you too will want to find out more about the potential for co-operation. The Red Cross/EU Office will be pleased to hear from you, welcome your comments and put you in touch with the relevant person in the National Red Cross Societies. Luc Henskens Director Red Cross/EU Office April 2003 2 CONTENTS THE RED CROSS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION.................................................................................. 5 MEMBERS OF THE GLOBAL NETWORK OF NATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES ............ 5 COMMON VALUES AND INTERESTS ............................................................................................................ 6 DOMESTIC ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................................................. 7 EU WIDE ACTIVITIES IN KEY AREAS........................................................................................................... 9 NETWORKING.......................................................................................................................................... 11 NATIONAL RED CROSS SOCIETIES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION ............................................ 12 AUSTRIA.................................................................................................................................................. 13 BELGIUM................................................................................................................................................. 17 BRITAIN .................................................................................................................................................. 20 DENMARK ............................................................................................................................................... 23 FINLAND.................................................................................................................................................. 26 FRANCE ................................................................................................................................................... 30 GERMANY ............................................................................................................................................... 33 GREECE ................................................................................................................................................... 38 IRELAND.................................................................................................................................................. 41 ITALY ...................................................................................................................................................... 43 LUXEMBOURG ......................................................................................................................................... 46 NETHERLANDS ........................................................................................................................................ 49 PORTUGAL............................................................................................................................................... 52 SPAIN ...................................................................................................................................................... 54 SWEDEN .................................................................................................................................................. 57 NATIONAL RED CROSS SOCIETIES OF THE CANDIDATE COUNTRIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION................................................................................................................................ 60 CZECH REPUBLIC .................................................................................................................................... 61 ESTONIA.................................................................................................................................................. 63 HUNGARY ............................................................................................................................................... 65 LATVIA.................................................................................................................................................... 67 LITHUANIA .............................................................................................................................................. 70 MALTA.................................................................................................................................................... 72 POLAND................................................................................................................................................... 74 SLOVAKIA ............................................................................................................................................... 77 SLOVENIA................................................................................................................................................ 80 3 INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS OF THE MOVEMENT...................................................... 82 INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RC/RC ............................................................................................... 83 RC/EU OFFICE........................................................................................................................................ 85 ICRC....................................................................................................................................................... 86 EUROPEAN NETWORKS OF NATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES ............................................................................................................................................... 87 EUROPEAN LEGAL SUPPORT GROUP (ELSG) .......................................................................................... 88 EUROPEAN NETWORK OF RED CROSS SOCIETIES AGAINST VIOLENCE.................................................... 89 (ENAV) .................................................................................................................................................. 89 EUROPEAN NETWORK OF RED CROSS/RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES ON HIV/AIDS (ERNA/RECS).......... 90 EUROPEAN PUBLIC SUPPORT GROUP (EPSG) ......................................................................................... 91 EUROPEAN RED CROSS SOCIETIES NETWORK FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT (ENPS) .......................... 92 FIRST AID EUROPEAN NETWORK ............................................................................................................ 93 PLATFORM FOR EUROPEAN RED CROSS CO-OPERATION ON REFUGEES, ASYLUM SEEKERS AND MIGRANTS (PERCO) .............................................................................................................................. 94 WEST EUROPEAN YOUTH RED CROSS NETWORK (WEYRCN)............................................................... 95 WESTERN EUROPEAN NETWORK ON VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT (WENDOV)..................................... 96 GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................................... 97 4 The Red Cross in the European Union Members of the global network