KLEIS is a non-profit service organization at intermediate level (the Flemish Community in Belgium); it is a concentration of strenght towards the European Union of a number of Flemish federations and/or umbrella organizations, representing almost all private noncommercial initiatives for people with disabilities, general and psychiatric hospitals, services for the aged, mental health services, child protection services, day care centres, extracurricular child care services, general welfare centres, sheltered workshops, training and coaching services for people with a low labour market profile, social economics organizations, ...
 
The rather special name of the association has a strong symbolical significance; the word ' kleis ' means ' key ' in old Greek and it symbolizes the ambition of the organization to act as a key to Europe for local, regional and national social profit organizations. The three basic objectives of KLEIS can be described as follows :
 
1) to encourage interest in and knowledge of the European Union and its policy (politics, legislation, grants) within the social profit sector by ' translating ' the complex working of the European institutions into a for local and regional organizations understandable story;
 
2) to function as a meetingplace and a discussion platform (network) for social profit organizations with a European dimension in their activities ( for exchange of knowledge and experiences and for the development of points of view enabling them to influence the construction of a social Europe);
 
3) to develop in cooperation with other service providers with regard to Europe an as complete as possible membership service enabling social profit organizations to take the necessary steps towards Europe.
 
KLEIS has its own monthly journal ' Europees Subsidienieuws ' (European Funds News) which is highly appreciated for its carefully selected information and its clear language. It has established an information service on calls for proposals as published in the Official Journal of the European Union and partnersearch calls.

KLEIS works together with the Liaison Agency Flanders-Europe (vleva). The director of KLEIS is parttime detached to vleva as the liaison officer for the social profit.  
 
For more information or if you know about similar organizations in Europe please contact:
 
Kleis vzw
Kolonel Bourgstraat 122, B. 4, 1140 Evere, Brussels