Co-operatives around the world are organised in different structures.
The International Co-operative Alliance (ICA) was founded in 1895. It is an independent, non-governmental organisation which unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. It is the largest non-governmental organisation in the world. Currently, ICA has 242 member organisations from 91 countries, representing more than 800 million individuals worldwide.
The ICA has three components: a Central Office, based in Geneva, 4 Regional offices and 8 sectoral organisations.
a) ICA Regional offices:
- Europe (Cooperatives Europe)
- Americas
- Asia and Pacific
- Africa
Euro Coop is a member of Cooperatives Europe, the European region of the ICA.
b) ICA Sectoral Organisations:
- Consumer Co-operatives Worldwide (CCW)
- International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO)
- International Co-operative Banking Association (ICBA)
- International Co-operative Fisheries Organisation (ICFO)
- International Health Co-operative Organisation (IHCO)
- International Co-operative Housing Organisation (ICA Housing)
- International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF)
- International Organisation of Industrial, Artisanal and Service Producers' Co-operatives (CICOPA)
Euro Coop provides the secretariat for CCW.
In addition, in Europe, co-operatives are organised in different sectors of activity. Euro Coop is the sectoral organisation for consumer co-operatives.
Other European sectoral organisations include:
- General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the European Union (Cogeca)
- European Confederation of Workers' Co-operatives, Social Co-operatives and Social and Participative Enterprises (Cecop)
- European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB)
- European Liaison Committee for Social Housing (Cecodhas)
