EUROCARE was formed in 1990 as an alliance of voluntary and non-governmental organisations representing a diversity of views and cultural attitudes and concerned with the impact of the European Union on alcohol policy in Member States. It now has 36 member organisations in 12 member states of the Union and 7 associate member organisations in 6 non-EU countries.

EUROCARE is an acronym for European Council for Alcohol Research Rehabilitation and Education. In 1993 the members agreed that the working title of the organisation should be EUROCARE - Advocacy for the Prevention of Alcohol Related Harm in Europe.

Member organisations are involved in the provision of information to the public; education and training of voluntary and professional community care workers; the provision of workplace and school based programmes; counselling services, residential support and alcohol-free clubs for problem drinkers; and research and advocacy institutes. Some member organisations work in all of these fields, but most are involved in only one or two areas.

The aims of Eurocare:

• Provide a forum for non-governmental European Union organisations and institutions working in the field of alcohol prevention.

• Establish, where possible, common ground and purpose among members of the European Union.

• Provide a regular exchange of information.

• Foster among its members an understanding of social, cultural, economic and political responses to the use of alcohol throughout Europe.

• Facilitate the collection, collation, analysis, dissemination and utilisation of data on alcohol consumption and related harm within the EU and other countries.

• Develop alcohol prevention and rehabilitation strategies and programmes appropriate to the needs of individuals and their environment.

• Stimulate a wide range of alcohol education and training programmes for special target areas such as the workplace, schools and social and health care organisations.

• Seek co-operation with appropriate international agencies.

COFACE

Set up in 1958 as a European Action Committee within the International Union of Family Organisations (IUFO), COFACE gradually acquired its autonomy. In 1979 it became a non-profit making international association under the name of Confederation of Family Organisations in the European Community.

COFACE is a non-political and non-denominational organisation made up of national family organisations of either a general or specific nature. COFACE now has 75 member organisations in fourteen Member States of the European Union. This represents several million parents and children.

COFACE is open to all national organisations representing families or active on family issues.COFACE's aims:

• Numerous decisons taken at European level directly affect families, ie in the economic and social fields, consumer affairs, the environment, education, housing and health care, rural development etc.

• The impact of Community policies on families is such that there is a need for the shaping of a European family policy. Such a policy can be defined as the family dimension to be incorporated into the economic, social and cultural policies drawn up at European level.

With a view to promoting such a policy, COFACE works in three complementary directions:

• as a spokesperson for family organisations, it liaises with the European authorities in all sectors relating to to the rights and interests of families;

• it informs national organisations of developments in the European Union, and encourages greater awareness of the Community dimension;

• it organises exchanges of ideas and experiences as well as mutual aid between family organisations in different countries.

COFACE's action has contributed to the development of Community policy in areas such as the promotion of consumer interests, social protection, the fight against social exclusion, programmes promoting the integration of disabled persons, and the promotion of health and education. Family policy is therefore progressively being given a place in the field of European initiatives. COFACE is committed to furthering this.

COFACE works on behalf of families in a Union which it would like to see at the service of its citizens.

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EUROCARE
Eurocare Secretariat,
1 The Quay, St Ives, Cambridgeshire,
PE17 4AR, UK
Tel: +44 1480 466766
Fax: +44 1480 497583
Email: eurocare@bbs.eurocare.org
Internet: http://www.eurocare.org

Eurocare EU Liaison Office,
Rue des Confédérés 96-98,
B1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 2 736 0572
Fax: +32 2 736 7351

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COFACE
Confederation of Family Orgainizations
in the European Community (COFACE)
Rue de Londres, 17 - B-1050 Brussels
Tel: +32 2 511 4179
Fax: +32 2 514 4773

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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Directorate General V
Bât. J. Monnet
Plateau du Kirchberg
L-2920 Luxembourg
Tel: +35 2 43011

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WHO
Regional Office for Europe
8 Scherfigsvej
DK-2100 Copenhagen
Denmark
Tel: +45 39 171717
Fax: + 45 39 171818