YORK today became the centre which will champion the cause of not-for-profit organisations throughout Europe.

The European Union has sanctioned 50,000 euros - more than £32,000 - to set up a new headquarters in the city for CENPO - the Centre for European Not-for-Profit Organisations.

It means that new offices in Lendal will become the focus for activity in getting a fairer deal in Europe for smaller and medium sized charities and voluntary organisations.

The news was broken today by Dave Taylor, marketing director of the York Inward Investment Board who said: "It is wonderful that we can attract lobbyists of the European Parliament to York rather than see them gravitate to London as one might expect."

In the past only the few, large organisations that could afford a Brussels office had the greatest influence on EU social, educational and cultural policy and secured the lion's share of available European funding. CENPO was set up to give smaller organisations an equal chance. Its service centre in Brussels helps voluntary enterprises to find partners in other parts of the EU, create networks, keep up regular contact with the European Parliament and Commission, lobby on issues, participate in EU programmes and identify and bag European funding.

CENPO has set up its own network across Europe so that organisations can approach it in their own countries, but while keeping the Brussels service centre operational, it has set up the network secretariat in the new office in York to bring its team closer to grass roots ventures.

CENPO's director David Wedgwood has been planning the move for months and will start recruiting soon. Apart from administrative staff he will ultimately need about six researchers.

He said: "We didn't think that London was the answer. York is the centre of Britain, with good road and rail links and nearby airports that quickly link me to Brussels.

"The main factor in our choice of location was the growing UK devolution and the increasing emphasis by the European Union on the 'Europe of the regions'. The grassroots organisations in Britain that our new office is here to help, are looking less to London and more to their own regions within the UK. For us York was an ideal choice to meet this trend."

Updated: 10:33 Tuesday, June 25, 2002