National Buddhist Unions

As well as individual Buddhist organisations, the EBU membership includes national Buddhist unions in these countries in Europe:

Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The nature of these national Buddhist unions varies but in general the membership of each national Buddhist union spans many Buddhist traditions.

The details of each national Buddhist union’s role and relationship to government also varies. In some countries, the national Buddhist union formally represents Buddhists to the government and/or defines whether an organisation may be recognised as Buddhist; in others the relationship is much more informal.

Buddhism is officially recognised in most of the countries listed above. In some countries Buddhist organisations benefit from financial support from the state in some form, sometimes on the same basis as other faith groups.

Within the EBU, the national Buddhist unions are steered by a committee which provides a forum for discussion of common concerns and for sharing experience of working across Buddhist traditions, with other faiths and with governments.

Contact
c.segre@europeanbuddhistunion.org