Euro Coop, established in 1957, is the European Community of Consumer Co-operatives that predominantly operates in the retail sector.[1] It currently represents 20 national members, which collectively oversee 7.000 co-operative enterprises, 94.000 points of sale, and 750.000 employees. Euro Coop has 30 million consumer members and an annual turnover of €72 billion.


TypeCooperative federation
Foundation1957
SectorRetail
HeadquartersBrussels
PresidentMathias Fiedler
Secretary GeneralTodor Ivanov
Members20 national members
Websiteeurocoop.coop

Euro Coop was among the first NGOs to be recognized by the European Commission. By registering with the EU transparency register,[2] Euro Coop is committed to transparent engagement with EU policymakers and stakeholders, representing the interests of consumers responsibly and ethically.

The organization focuses on advocacy, promoting consumer co-operative principles and values[3] at the EU level, and representing consumer interests and rights.[4] They also work to strengthen its members' understanding of EU affairs and facilitates co-operation among members.

The primary objective of Euro Coop is to promote the interests of consumer co-operatives at the European Union Institutions and facilitate closer collaboration between national members by exchanging experiences and working on common projects and initiatives.[5] Euro Coop's Secretariat, based in Brussels, oversees its engagement with various platforms within the European Commission, advisory groups, the Food Policy Coalition, and other groups. The Secretariat works to also ensure that the voice of consumer co-operatives is well-represented within the European Parliament through strong collaboration with the European Economic and Social Committee.

From July 2021, Euro Coop is the Vice-Chair of the task force of the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices,[6] which is one of the 27 actions outlined in the EU Farm to Fork Strategy[7] which aims at promoting sustainable food systems by outlining common objectives and actions for businesses in the food industry, retail, food service, and hospitality sectors.

Euro Coop partners with Cooperatives Europe and the International Co-operative Alliance to work towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

Euro Coop is also dedicated to advocating for the interests of consumers in the framework of projects funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program.[8][9]

References

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  1. ^ David, Horton Smith; Grotz, Jurgen; Stebbins, Robert A. (2016). The Palgrave Handbook of Volunteering, Civic Participation, and Nonprofit Associations. England: Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 461, 462, 463, 468, 469. ISBN 9781137263179.
  2. ^ "EU Transparency Register - Euro Coop profile". European Union Transparency Register. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  3. ^ Southerton, Dale (2011). Encyclopedia of Consumer Culture. Volume 1 (1st ed.). USA: SAGE Publications. p. 243. ISBN 9780872896017.
  4. ^ Malczyńska-Biały, Mira (2017). "Non-governmental consumer organizations in European Union. Selected aspects". World Scientific News (72): 442–447 – via Przedsiębiorstwo Wydawnictw Naukowych Darwin / Scientific Publishing House DARWIN.
  5. ^ Justin, Greenwood; Aspinwall, Mark (2013). Collective Action in the European Union. Interests and the New Politics of Associability (2nd ed.). Oxon: Taylor & Francis. pp. 156, 164, 230. ISBN 9781136213953.
  6. ^ "EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices" (PDF). EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices. EU Code of Conduct. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  7. ^ Voinea, Anca (16 February 2021). "European retail co-ops to work on code of conduct for Farm to Fork Strategy". Coop news.
  8. ^ "The project". CO-FRESH.eu. CO-FRESH EU funded project. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Consortium". FoodSafety4EU.eu. FoodSafety4EU EU funded project. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
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Euro Coop website