Eurostep — which stands for European Solidarity Towards Equal participation of People — was established in 1990 by the directors of nineteen NGOs, in order to co-ordinate the activities of like-minded European NGDOs (non-governmental development organizations) actively involved in Asia, Africa and Latin America. It was founded on the belief that development coordination and respect should play vital roles in Europe's relations with developing countries and that development aid should also be effective and transparent. Today, Eurostep and its members work in more than 100 countries.

Simon Stocker is the director of Eurostep since 1990. He has previously worked as Director of International Coalition for Development Action and as Deputy General Secretary at War on Want. Mr Stocker recognised then a need for a secular civil society organisation based in Brussels. Currently, Simon Stocker is Secretary and member of the board for LDC Watch, a Non-Profit Organization. Through this work he plays an active role in a network of NGOs focusing on promoting sustainable development strategies in least developed countries.