World Council of Churches
Budget
€10 — €0
EP Access
0
accredited persons
Staff
1
0.1 FTE
EU Grants
€303,441
Mission & Goals
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a global fellowship of 352 member churches representing over 580 million Christians in more than 120 countries. Founded in 1948, the WCC promotes Christian unity and works for justice, peace, and reconciliation. The WCC’s goals include fostering visible unity among churches in one faith and one eucharistic fellowship; promoting common witness through mission and evangelism; and engaging in service to human need, dismantling barriers between people, advocating for justice and peace, and upholding the integrity of creation. Among its many initiatives, the WCC established the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) in 2002, responding to a call from local church leaders for international presence and solidarity in the region.
EU Legislative Interests
Our work aligns with the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), particularly its objectives related to human rights, civil society engagement, and conflict resolution in the Southern Neighbourhood. Through the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI), we contribute to the ENP’s goals of promoting democracy, rule of law, and international solidarity in occupied territories.
Communication Activities
During our EAPPI EU lobbying week (December 1-4, 2025) European Parliament: Meetings will be arranged with: • MEPs from the respective countries of the participating EAs. • Allied MEPs and members of the EPP group (Christian Democrats). • Members of the Foreign Affairs (AFET) and Human Rights (DROI) committees. A potential joint briefing with the DROI subcommittee, chaired by MEP Mounir Satouri, will be explored. • European Commission: Meetings will be pursued with the team of President Ursula Von Der Leyen and relevant commissioners from the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), which covers the MENA region. • Permanent Representation Offices to the EU/European Council: Meetings will be sought with the respective permanent representation offices of the participating EAs' countries and with the Maghreb-Mashreq (MaMa) working party and the human rights (COHOM) working party. • European External Action Service (EEAS): Meetings will be pursued with relevant officials, including Michael Mann, Head of Division for the Middle East, and Ines Bencheikh.
Interests Represented
Promotes their own interests or the collective interests of their members
Member Of
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a founding partner and active affiliate of ACT Alliance, a global coalition of church-related organizations working in humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy. WCC also collaborates with the Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), a Brussels-based network active in EU migration and asylum policy. The Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), a body of the World Council of Churches, holds consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). This status enables the WCC to contribute to international policy dialogue and advocacy on human rights, peacebuilding, and social justice through formal UN channels.
Organisation Members
The World Council of Churches has The WCC is a fellowship of 356 member churches who together represent more than half a billion Christians around the world. Full list of members can be found in this page: https://www.oikoumene.org/member-churches
Additional Information
The budget to cover EAPPI lobby week costs (travel, accommodation, materials, etc.) is 8,500 EUR. This is covered through the grant ENI/2019/408-727. 10% of our Advocacy officer staff annual costs would be around 6,000 EUR.
Commissioner Meetings
No recorded meetings with EU commissioners.