Our mission is to contribute to transparency, sustainability and European integration, implementing projects that build resilience to climate change, promote clean energy solutions, champion sustainable mobility and strengthen environmental governance in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. We fulfil our mission by promoting cooperation among governments, non-governmental organisations, businesses and other stakeholders, and by supporting the free exchange of information and public participation.
(Updated in November 2017)
The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) is an international organisation with a mission to assist in addressing environmental issues. The REC fulfils this mission by promoting cooperation among governments, non-governmental organisations, businesses and other environmental stakeholders, and by supporting the free exchange of information and public participation in environmental decision making.
The REC was established in 1990 by the United States, the European Commission and Hungary. Today, the REC is legally based on a charter with over 30 signatories. The organisation relies on a network of offices and experts in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. Its head office is located in Szentendre, Hungary.
The REC actively participates in key global, regional and local processes and contributes to environmental and sustainability solutions within and beyond its country office network, transferring transitional knowledge and experience to countries and regions.
Recent donors are the European Commission, the European Economic Area (EEA) Financial Mechanism (Norway, Iceland Liechtenstein), the United Nations, the governments of Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as other international organisations, banks and businesses.
- Consolidated Charter of the REC as of January 2011
(PDF document) - Declaration of the Signatories to the Charter of the REC on the 25th anniversary
(PDF document) - Declaration of the Signatories to the Charter of the REC on the 20th anniversary
(PDF document) - Declaration of the Signatories to the Charter of the REC on the 15th anniversary
(PDF document) - Declaration of the Signatories to the Charter of the REC on the 10th anniversary
(PDF document)
The REC Strategy defines the priority issues on which the organisation must focus, and the key directions for its future work. The strategy document covers a period of five years and is drafted under the continuous guidance of the REC's Board of Directors, taking into consideration discussions and recommendations at the General Assembly and the comments and suggestions of senior officials/signatories and key stakeholders.
The latest strategy, covering the period 2016 to 2020, is based on the 2015 Declaration of the Signatories of the REC on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the foundation of the REC.
- REC Strategy 2016–2020
(PDF document) - REC Strategy 2011–2015
(PDF document) - REC Strategy 2011–2015 annex
(PDF document) - REC Strategy 2006–2010
(PDF document)