The REC's Mission

The Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC) is an international organisation with a mission to assist in solving environmental problems. 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 signed by the governments of 29 countries and the European Commission. The REC has its head office in Szentendre, Hungary, and country offices and field offices in 17 beneficiary countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey. 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 and the governments of Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as other intergovernmental and private institutions. Founding Documents Charter of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe: download the 9-page, 3.45-MByte PDF file.   Agreement between The Government of The Republic of Hungary and the Board of Directors of the Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe on The Legal Status of the Regional  Center in Budapest: download the 7-page, 17-KByte PDF file.   Location The REC established its head office in Szentendre, a scenic town 20 km north of the Hungarian capital, Budapest. This location features a multi-purpose, modern, fully air-conditioned Conference Center equipped to the highest technical standards necessary for organising a successful meeting. The Center is open to organisations wishing to hold events outside the bustle and noise of Budapest, while at the same time being conveniently near to it. Szentendre is easily and quickly accessible from Budapest, directly from the airport and railway stations by a special transfer service or car, or by public transportation.

Charter of the REC (3.4 MB - PDF file) Declaration of the Signatories (16 KB - PDF file) Statement on the REC's legal status Board of Directors General Assembly Management Team REC Statement of Contributions