Europäische Wandervereinigung e.V. - European Hiking Federation - Fédération Européenne de la Randonnée Pédestre
Budget
€27,157
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
1
0.25 FTE
EU Grants
€2,940
Mission & Goals
We are a European umbrella organization for all aspects concerning walking and hiking. We support our member organiziations in Europe to advocate for hiking as a defensive outdoor activity which is good for health, but also connected to the landscape, culture, cultural heritage, nature protection and environment protection as well as tourism, especially "soft" tourism. All these aspects are promoted and ERA not only supports its members, but is also responsible for the European long distance hiking paths (E-Paths, Europäische Fernwanderwege), the Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe, the Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe, Regions and the Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe, Day Walks. ERA also co-operates with the Council of Europe, especially the Enlarged Partial Agreement on the European Cultural Routes and the Institute of European Cultural Routes. ERA is dedicated to the understanding, friendship and co-operation of the European hiking communities.
EU Legislative Interests
Our main interests are in all policies related to landscape development, cultural heritage environment and public sports / public health. This comprises the CAP (and now also the European Green Deal), especially the attempts to greening the agricultural policy with a specific interest in improving the landscape quality and ensuring the accessibility of the landscape. Therefore we are specially interested in the funding schemes governed by EAFRD and ESIF, and how they provide for a better landscape and ensure the accessibility of the landscape. In the structural funds and regional development our main interest leis in the LEADER programm, especially in how it can help to improve the quality of the landscape, sustainability and Eco-Tourism. We are also interested in avoiding conflicts between developments and the interest of charities and volunteer organizations in the field, which are again and again creeping up in LEADER funding schemes. We are especially interested in the Environment Impact Assessment as many of our national members are registered environmental organizations active in the consultation processes of planning and development projects in the framework of the EIA regulations. Here we are advocating again for the interests of the landscape and the accessibility of the landscape. In the field of cultural heritage and sport we mainly interested in the ERASMUS+ regulations and how these funding schemes help to preserve and enhance the quality of landscape as well as every day sport activities, especially of course hiking and related physical activities. We are also interested in the European Agenda for Culture. We are actually participating in ERASMUS+ projects setting standards for Good Governance in Sport, where we advocate especially for the protection of minors and young people as well as inclusiveness with the main focus on sport for everyone and sport carried out in volunteer associations. As a hiking organization we also have a special interest in infrastructure, mainly concerning the foot-paths and foot-traffic / slow traffic. We are actually participating in and ERASMUS+ project preparing standards for environment friendly out door activities in the mountain areas and in the nature protected areas of Europe. We closely cooperate on creating and supporting the projects as European Green Belt. We are also advocating for eco tourism and soft tourism and the right to access the landscape for hiking and related out-door activities. In the field of economy and competition we are interested in specific regulations to protect charities and volunteer organizations, especially in the tax sector and the rules for applying VAT. We have been active in these fields, but a lot of the work is done through our member organisations, as we are an umbrella organisation and rely on the support of our members. Actual consultations we are especially interested in are e.g. Evaluation of the Common Agricultural Policy’s impact on territorial development of rural areas: socioeconomic aspects or the Evaluation of the impacts of the CAP on habitats, landscape, biodiversity.
Communication Activities
ERA is organizing the EURORANDO, a five yearly major event for hikers and hiking organizations in Europe. The first event started in 2001 in Europe, with the final event in Strasbourg. A new pan-European event EURORANDO will be held in 2026 on the Czech-German border. ERA has created the European Walking Day (EWD), last Saturday in September, connected with the European Week of Sport. The slogan for 2026 is "Return to nature". With this event, ERA wishes to enlarge the physical activity for a large audience and support a good health (well-being) for all. ERA promotes European ideals at its annual meetings, normally in autumn in differing countries of Europe. ERA co-organize regional events connected to all aspects of hiking with its member organizations and European partner organisations as EUMA, EUROPARC, ENOS or IMBA, and promotes these events as European meeting platforms. ERA certifies and co-ordinates the European long distance hiking trails (E-Paths) and advocates for cross-border activities, freedom of travel and cross-border co-operation. ERA sets standards for quality cross-border trails, quality hiking regions and quality Day Walks on a European level and advocates for common standards and principles. ERA sets standards for training of hiking guides and landscape guides and certifies European Walk Leaders. ERA advocates for common standards in training and licensing, cross-border co-operation and recognition of certificates across Europe. ERA participated successfully in an ERASMUS+ project for standard setting for outdoor activities especially linked to paths and mountain trails in Europe and played an important role in the ERASMUS+ project on good governance in sports. Newly, ERA is a partner in an ERASMUS+ project for balancing outdoor recreation and nature conservation and also promoting activism through hiking, i.e. atracting young generation in hiking on trails (especially E-paths) and joining multigeneration activities through hiking. A number of members of ERA are registered environment protection organizations and participate in consultative processes and planning processes for landscape development and management, especially environment impact assessment. Other members of ERA are active in the field of tourism and participate in the relevant mechanisms of the European Common Market.
Interests Represented
Does not represent commercial interests
Member Of
We are a member of World Trails Network and European Network of Outdoor Sports, we have partnerships with the European Mountaineering Association and are part of the Tourist Manifesto. Links on the EWV homepage: https://www.hiking-federation.eu Our partners: https://www.era-ewv-ferp.org/era-community/partners/
Organisation Members
https://www.hiking-federation.eu/era-community/partners/ https://www.hiking-federation.eu/era-community/members/
Additional Information
ERA as a partner of the ERASMUS+ projects: "CONNECT" held as a three-year project 2025-2027 should gain in total 36.820 € from the EU. And as a partner of ERASMUS+ project "PATH" held as a two-year project 2025-2026 should gain 9.800 € in total. One half should be used for the operating costs. The majority of the work was done by volunteers, without any reward.
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.