Our structure

The supreme body of the Belgian Red Cross is the General Assembly. It alone holds sole power to amend the articles of association and to adopt the consolidated accounts and balance sheets of the Belgian Red Cross as a whole. This assembly is chaired by the national President who also chairs the meetings of the National Management Committee and of the National Council.

Since 1 January 2008, the mandate of the national President has been vacant. As specified in the articles of association “in the event the post of national President should become vacant, the duties shall be jointly assumed by the national vice-presidents. The latter shall put in place the appropriate steps with a view to filling the vacancy as soon as possible.” (art. 28)

Issues of joint interest come under the National Council made up of an equal number of members from the French-speaking and Flemish Community Councils, including their Presidents. The President of the German-speaking Community and the representatives of Brussels-Capital are also members of the National Council. As such, the National Council establishes the general policy of the National Society at national and international levels. The proceedings of the National Council are prepared by the National Management Committee, which is equally constituted on an equal basis. The National Management Committee assumes the general management of the National Society within the confines of the powers it has been assigned by the National Council. 

As Belgium is a Federal State, the organisation of the Belgian Red Cross reflects the community-based structure of the State.

The Communities each have their own “parliament”, the Community Council, which establishes the general policy for their own Community, sets the budgets and adopts the accounts and balance sheets. There are two Boards of Directors, one for the humanitarian services, the other for the Blood Service, which ensure the administration of the said services. They can rely on the support of a community administration which works under the two CEOs, one for the humanitarian services, the other for the Blood Service.

The Community Council and the Boards of Directors are chaired by the Community President and are made up solely of volunteers. The structure is adapted to factor in the specific realities of the German-speaking Community.
The President of the French Community is Mr Edouard Croufer.