Co-operative Movement

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.

The ICA has three components: a Central office, based in Brussels, 4 Regional offices and 8 sectoral organisations.

a) ICA Regional Offices:

• Europe (Cooperatives Europe)
• Americas (Cooperatives of the Americas)
• Asia-Pacific
• Africa

Euro Coop is a member of Cooperatives Europe, the European region of the Alliance.

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)
• Co-operative Housing International (CHI)
• International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF)
• International Organisation of Industrial and Service Cooperatives (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)
• Housing Europe