Several church organisations work at the Ecumenical Centre at the heart of the EU quarter of Brussels, monitoring EU legislation and working on issues of concern to the churches. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is actively engaged in the Centre’s work.
The Conference of European Chaurches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 125 Anglican, Orthodox, Protestant and Old Catholic churches. The CEC has two commissions in Brussels:
The Church and Society Commission (CSC) works on issues such as social and environmental policy, human rights, peace and security, and EU enlargement and institutional development. The Church and Society Commission also has an office in Strasbourg.
The Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME) covers migration and refugee policy, racism, discrimination and integration.
Eurodiaconia and the Association of World Council of Churches Related Development Organisations in Europe (Aprodev) work to facilitate cooperation in diaconal and development work. The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is involved in both organisations: in the latter, through Finn Church Aid.
We also work closely with the Church of Sweden and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), the Roman Catholic Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and the Brussels office of the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities.
In EU funding issues, we work together with the Ecumenical EU Office in Sweden. The Commission for Church Employers is a member of the Finnish section of the European Centre of Employers and Enterprises Providing Public Services (CEEP).