ECRE Membership

ECRE is an alliance founded by and overseen by its membership, which now comprises 125 organisations in 40 countries across Europe. ECRE aims to strengthen the networking between refugee-assisting NGOs and to serve as an engine of collective advocacy. ECRE reinforces and underpins its member organisations’ individual strengths. ECRE speaks on behalf of many NGOs in Europe and has a greater impact precisely because it is an international group of organisations representing wider civil society working on refugee protection. 

ECRE’s membership is diverse, with member organisations involved in a variety of activities, including assisting refugees directly through the provision of humanitarian and legal assistance; lobbying, campaigning, and influencing policy; building capacity; and researching and analysis. All member organisations have the common raison d’être of working on behalf of refugees and/or of promoting a humane asylum policy in Europe. They are committed to active involvement in ECRE.

Application Procedure 

If you are interested in applying for membership of ECRE, please fill out the application form and submit it to Catherine Woollard.

Membership applications are considered by the ECRE Board at its regular meetings. According to ECRE’s statutes, applications must be approved by the Board. The Board retains the right to refuse applications. 

The next deadline for submission of applications is Monday 8 April 2024. 

For any questions regarding ECRE membership, please contact Catherine Woollard.

Categories

ECRE has two different types of membership: alliance member organisations and associate member organisations. (NB/ Applications are currently only being accepted for alliance member organisations.)

Alliance member organisations are organisations with a significant role in working on behalf of refugees and/or in promoting a humane asylum policy in the European context, and which commit themselves to active involvement in supporting ECRE’s goals and activities.

The rights of alliance member organisations are: 

  • To receive the ECRE annual report via e-mail 
  • The right to vote at ECRE general assemblies (GAs) and to stand for election to the Board of Directors (the Board)
  • Access to the minutes and decisions of the Board and the GA
  • Access to ECRE’s working groups
  • Reduced prices for staff participation in activities organised by ECRE
  • Visibility for their work and projects as relevant
  • Participation in the ECRE Media Officers Network (EMON). 

ECRE will advocate the cause of its national alliance members at the EU level and assist their work at the national level by providing access to key information on national and EU matters, and organising networking and capacity building events 

Associate member organisations are organisations which do not qualify for alliance membership. They include associations, companies, research institutes, universities, academic and legal networks, refugee-assisting organisations and other interested parties which can be involved with ECRE by becoming supporting member organisations. 

The rights of associate member organisations are: 

  • To receive ECRE’s annual report by e-mail
  • To access information and work documents produced by ECRE as determined by the Board
  • To receive invitations to participate in ECRE conferences and other events 
  • Reduced prices for staff participation in activities organised by ECRE.

Membership Fee 

All member organisations are required to make a financial contribution in the form of an annual membership fee. The annual membership fee is calculated on the basis of the organisation’s unrestricted funding and it is reviewed every three years. New member organisations will be folded into the three-year cycle as they join.

The annual membership fee is calculated using the following scale:

ECRE Membership Fees
Category  Unrestricted Income  Annual Fee 
Alliance Member Organisations  Associate Member Organisations 
A  More than €500,000  € 5000  € 3000 
B  More than €300,000  € 4000  € 2400 
C  More than €150,000  € 3000  € 1800 
D  More than €100,000  € 2000  € 1200 
E  Less than €100,000  € 1000  € 600 
F  Less than €50,000  € 500  € 300 
G  Less than €25,000  € 250  € 150