The European Organisation of Military Associations (EUROMIL) is the umbrella organisation of 35 national military associations and trade unions. Originally founded in 1972, the Organisation promotes the social and professional interests of military personnel of all ranks in Europe. Including 25 countries from the Russian Federation in the East to Ireland in the West, and from Finland in the north to Malta in the South, EUROMIL is a truly European organisation.

EUROMIL is the main Europe-wide forum for cooperation among professional military associations on issues of common concern. Through the international secretariat in Brussels, EUROMIL facilitates exchange of information, experiences and best practice among member associations.
The organisation, moreover, strives to secure and advance the human rights, fundamental freedoms and socio-professional interests of soldiers by monitoring and advocating in multinational negotiations on the European level. EUROMIL supports the inclusion of military personnel into social legislation by the European Union.
EUROMIL has participatory status at the Council of Europe and is accredited as a lobbyist with the European Parliament. It upholds contacts with the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the European Security and Defence Assembly (formerly the Assembly of the WEU).
EUROMIL has a co-operation agreement with the European Trade Union Confederation since 1998.
Funded exclusively by membership fees, EUROMIL keeps to strict non-denominational and politically independent policies.

Military associations entirely respect and abide by the chain of command, and neither condone or support insubordination and mutiny.
Associations do not intend to comment on strategic or operational matters. 

Security has a social dimension

EUROMIL’s member associations and unions are committed to the principle of the ‘Citizen in Uniform’. As such, a soldier is entitled to the same rights and obligations as any other citizen.
EUROMIL and its members strongly believe that governments and societies owe a 'duty of care' toward its military personnel. Soldiers are called upon to make personal sacrifices - including the ultimate sacrifice - in the service of the nation and the international community. For that reason, the men and women, who have chosen to serve their country, must always be able to expect in return fair treatment, to be valued and respected as fellow citizens, and that they and their families will be sustained, rewarded and provided for by the Nation.

This requires certain governments to lift all existing restrictions on civil and social rights of soldiers which are not an inevitably and proportionate result from the military assignment. EUROMIL advocates particularly the right of servicemen and -women to form and to join trade unions and independent staff associations and that these are included in a regular social dialogue by the authorities. Soldiers are highly skilled employees who have the legitimate right to promote their social and professional interests - as do other workers.

Decade-long experience has shown that those European countries that have granted full association rights to their soldiers experienced no loss of combat efficiency or military discipline. No disturbances in the chain of command have been observed. On the contrary, involving democratic military associations in a permanent social dialogue has de facto improved the moral and loyalty of troops. This has been confirmed in the course of several years in many international missions, such as Afghanistan, where countries with strong military unions have addressed the tasks at hand professionally and successfully.

In times of increased operational pace but declining defence budgets military associations and unions can be a powerful ally to raise awareness of this contradiction and can articulate the professional interests and concerns of military professionals. Associations can also enhance the status of the military profession in society. Military associations are recognised in several countries across Europe as valuable partners for the defence administration.