Caritas Europa refers to both the European network with its 49 member organizations, and its secretariat based in Brussels, Belgium.
History
Caritas Germany was the first Caritas organisation was established in 1897.[4] Over the following decades, numerous other Caritas organisations emerged in other countries. Caritas Internationalis, the global Confederation of all national Caritas organisations, was founded in 1950 in Rome.[5] Its European members worked together as the informal "European region" of Caritas Internationalis and starting in 1966 met every two years. Cooperation and collaboration increased throughout the 1970s and 1980s, especially after the creation of the European Economic Community (EEC). The EEC administration insisted on working with a unique interlocutor instead of individual NGOs. For this reason, the Caritas network in Europe and other NGOs created the NGO Euronaid in 1980, particularly for the distribution of food aid by the EEC.[6][7]
In the 1980s, European Caritas organisations recognized an increasing need for a pan-European Caritas structure. Rather than establishing a formal legal entity, they opted to have European member organisations collaborate through consortia with varying memberships tailored to different areas of work.[8] For instance, one consortium focused on providing aid in Poland, while another implemented programmes in Russia, and so forth. This collaborative model was endorsed during its general assembly, formally called "Regional Conference", of the European members of Caritas Internationalis in Luxembourg in May 1985. This new cooperation model was named Euro-Caritas and was overseen by Caritas Belgium in Brussels. Edward de Brandt was appointed as its Managing Director and served in that capacity until 1992. Euro-Caritas was mostly an initiative of the Caritas organisations based in the European Economic Community, the predecessor of the European Union.[8]
At the same time, between 1983 and 1991, the name "Caritas Europa" was used as working title for the European region of Caritas Internationalis. This structure continued its work also outside of the European Economic Community, such as with the Council of Europe.[9]
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communism, numerous new Caritas organisations emerged in central and eastern European nations. At the regional conference of the European region of Caritas Internationalis in Vienna, in 1991, Luc Trouillard of Caritas France was elected as Secretary-General and Msgr. William Kenney from Sweden was elected as President.[10]
In July 1993, Caritas Europa was formally established as a non-profit association under Belgian law with its secretariat based in Brussels.[1] Until then, the secretariat had been located in Lucerne in the premises of Caritas Switzerland.[11] This new legal framework consolidated the former Euro-Caritas structures and the European region of Caritas Internationalis into a unified entity. In 2015, the Caritas Europa secretariat moved its office into the same building as Caritas International Belgium in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels.[1]
Work
An Austrian Caritas volunteer supporting in the preparation and distribution of food in Graz.Textitle collection box from Caritas Spain in San Andrés del Rabanedo.Caritas Poland distributing bags with food in Sanok.An Austrian Caritas worker visiting a patient in the geriatric ward of a hospital in Salzburg.
Caritas Europa consists of 49 national member organisations that are working in 46 European countries. The member organisations are active in combating poverty and social exclusion, providing social and welfare services, dealing with migration and asylum issues, combating human trafficking, providing humanitarian aid in Europe and across the world, regional development, peace programmess and projects around the world. Caritas Europa fosters cooperation and mutual learning among its member organisations and facilitates capacity building, joint advocacy and joint projects and programmes.
The secretariat, headquartered in Brussels, employs staff engaged in advocacy activities targeting the European Union, the Council of Europe, and their respective member states. They focus on policy issues concerning poverty, social inequality, migration, asylum, emergency humanitarian assistance, and international development globally.[12]
Over the years, the number of member organisations has continuously increased. As of 2024, Caritas Europa consists of 49 national member organisations operating in 46 European countries, covering every European Union and Council of Europe member state, as well as Belarus, Kosovo and Russia.[13]
In certain countries, multiple Caritas member organisations exist. For example, Ukraine has Caritas Ukraine (Greek-Catholic bishops' initiative) and Caritas-Spes (Roman Catholic bishops' initiative). In the United Kingdom, there are three Caritas organisations: CAFOD for international programmes and CSAN for national social programmes, while SCIAF serves as the national Caritas organisation in Scotland. Northern Ireland is covered by Trócaire, the Irish member. Because Caritas Europa adheres to the structure of the Catholic Church, Caritas Cyprus is not affiliated with Caritas Europa, although Cyprus is an EU Member State.[13] Instead, Caritas Cyprus is part of another region within Caritas Internationalis known as Caritas Middle East and Northern Africa (Caritas MONA).
National Caritas organisations are the members of Caritas Europa. In most countries, each national organisation serves as an umbrella for various diocesan Caritas organisations. Diocesan and parish Caritas groups operate locally[14] but are not direct members of Caritas Europa.
Membership activities vary widely. Some organisations focus solely on domestic social welfare (e.g., Caritas Moldova[15] or Caritas Montenegro[16]), while others specialize in international development and humanitarian aid (e.g., Cordaid,[17]CAFOD[18]). Some organisations engage in both domestic and international activities (e.g., Caritas Spain,[19]Caritas Luxembourg,[20]Caritas Poland[21]).
Certain member organisations working internationally act as "partnership organisations", supporting local partners abroad without direct implementation. Examples include Caritas Portugal and Caritas Denmark.[22] Others, like Caritas Czech Republic and Caritas Switzerland, establish offices in third countries to directly manage humanitarian and development projects.[23][24]
As Caritas Europa is one of the seven regions of Caritas Internationalis, all members of Caritas Europa are also member of Caritas Internationalis.[25]
The position of "President of Caritas Europa" was established in 1992, just before the network was legally created. Prior to 1992, the official title was "Vice-President of Caritas Internationalis - Regio Europa".[27]
Moved With Compassion - The History of Caritas Europa - Festschrift on the Occasion of the 25th Anniversary of Caritas Europa's Statutes 1993-2018. Jorge Nuño Mayer. 2018. ISBN978-972-9008-55-9.
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↑ Caritas in Belgium does not legally exist but is an umbrella for Caritas Flanders (Caritas Vlaanderen) , Caritas in French- & German-speaking Belgium (Caritas francophone), and Caritas International
↑ Moved With Compassion: The History of Caritas Europa 1993-2018, 2018, Responsible Publisher: Jorge Nuño Mayer, ISBN978-972-9008-55-9
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