Study on Volunteering in EU

The aim of this study was to help the Commission consider ways in which the voluntary sector could be further promoted at EU level and the extent to which volunteering could help the EU in achieving its wider strategic objectives set out in for example the Social Agenda and the Lisbon Strategy. A study on volunteering in the European Union was launched by DC EAC end of 2008 within the context of its reflections on volunteering and possibly the preparation for a European Year of Volunteering.

The launch of a study on volunteering in sport was announced as an action in the Commission's 2007 White Paper on Sport. In 2008, it was decided to integrate it with the general EU study on volunteering. The final report released last week study provides research and insights into the current situation of volunteering in the European Union. It includes a comparative analysis of volunteering in 27 Member States with 27 national reports, a sector study on volunteering in sport and 27 national fiches on volunteering in sport. The purpose of the study was to reach a better understanding of the conditions and the state of volunteering in the 27 Member States including the national, regional and local level and to identify trends, similarities and differences, opportunities and challenges.

The study was also meant to assist the Commission in determining the scope and the direction of future European wide initiatives aimed at promoting volunteering. It is important to stress that the aim of this study was not to define a uniform methodology for measuring volunteering in the EU, nor indeed to carry out empirical research on volunteering in the EU-27; rather this report aims to review what national studies, surveys, reports and key stakeholders stated about volunteering and volunteers in each individual EU Member State. While this report has collated and made use of a wide-range of sources to gather the most information possible on the level of volunteering in the EU, the discrepancies between different national surveys, studies and methods means that it has not been possible to provide a statistically accurate comparison across Europe. Therefore, the statistical analysis of the level and nature of volunteering should be seen as indicative only. Should you have any additional informations you would like to share on the subject, feel free to send your contributions to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Study on volunteering in Europe
Executive summary FR
Executive summary DE

National report:
Ireland