In many ways the European Union influences the activity of the member organisations of SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL.

Thus, the European Union is the biggest grantor of subsidies for projects of humanitarian aid in the world in crisis and disaster areas overseas.

The European Commission has own coordination competency in the field of internal European civil protection.

Although rescue services and social services and projects do not directly fall under the competency of the European Union, but are subject to the controlling jurisdiction of the member states, the European rules on competition also determine the legal situation of the rescue services and the social services. The delimitation between European and national regulation competency essentially takes place through the case law of the European Court of Justice.

It is, therefore, one of the most important tasks of SAMARITAN INTERNATIONAL to accompany the European legal development in the fields of activity of its member organisations.