The European Association of Co-operative Banks (EACB) (GEBC in French) is the leading trade association for the co-operative banking sector with 27 member institutions and co-operative banks located in 22 countries worldwide. As the representative of the world's largest cooperative banking cluster, the EACB promotes the interests co-operative banks, or banks that provide access to finance at the local level with a relatively small investment. As an international non-profit Association based in Brussels, the EACB is recognised as a key interlocutor for cooperative banks by the regulators and supervisors at EU and International levels. The EACB works together with more than 200 experts from its member organizations. The association represents, promotes and defends the values of the

co-operative banking Cooperative banking is retail and commercial banking organized on a cooperative basis. Cooperative banking institutions take deposits and lend money in most parts of the world. Cooperative banking, as discussed here, includes retail banking carr ...

model in Europe and on the global stage. The EACB offers a comprehensive set of policy resources for co-operative banks worldwide. These resources as well as data on the co-operative banking sector are available on the EACB website.

Co-operative banks at a glance

Co-operative banks serve 214 million customers Co-operative banks are mutual and private banks, owned by their 85 million members Co-operative banks share common values and foster local growth and entrepreneurship through their 2.700 regional and local banks, 43.000 branches Co-operative banks employ 713,000 individuals nationally Co-operative banks manage more than €7,9 trillion in banking assets Co-operative banks safeguard €4,2 trillion in deposits Co-operative banks extend more than €4,6 trillion in loans

Creation

Following an initiative launched by Mr. Johannes TEICHERT, a first meeting with representatives of the European Commission was held in December 1969 with the aim to create a representative body for credit co-operatives of the 6 EU-member states. Hence the Association of Co-operative Savings and Credit Institutions of the E.E.C. was officially created on October 1, 1970. The first statutes of the Association were signed at the end of 1971 by the following founding members: * Caisse Centrale des Associations Agricole Luxembourgeoises * Centrale Raiffeisenkas, Leuven Belgium * Confédération Nationale du Crédit Mutuel, Paris * Coöperatieve Centrale Boerenleenbank, Eindhoven * Coöperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen-Bank, Utrecht * Deutsche Genossenschaftskasse, Frankfurt * Deutscher Raiffeisenverband, Bonn * Ente Nazionale delle Casse Rurale Agrari ed Ente Ausiliari, Rome * Fédération Centrale du Crédit Agricole Mutuel, Paris * Fédération Nationale du Crédit Agricole, Paris * Federazione Italiana dei Consorzi Agrari, Rome * Union du Crédit Coopératif, Paris

Structure

The EACB is a European non-profit association, located and registered in Belgium. It is headed by a President and regulated by the Board and the Executive Committee. The General Manager, Mr. Hervé Guider leads the Secretariat based in Brussels. The EACB supports the code of conduct on lobbying of the European Commission and is registered in the EU transparency register book (Transparency Book Register 4172526951-19). The President is elected for 2 years with a mandate, which may be renewed once. He chairs the Board and the Executive Committee. The Board meets 3 to 4 times a year and defines the general policy. The Executive Committee is composed of 39 appointed Members, who endorse recommendations put forward by the Working Groups members. They meet three times a year. The activities of the EACB are articulated around Working Groups and Taskforces, covering topics from banking legislation to customer policy, CSR and Social Affairs.

Overview of the presidents of the EACB

1970 – 1977 : President Van Campen, Centrale Coöperatieve Boerenleenbank 1977 – 1981 : President Braun, Crédit Mutuel 1982 – 1986 : President Lardinois, Rabobank Nederland 1986 – 1989 : President Schramm, BVR, Germany 1989 – 1995 : President Barsalou, Crédit Agricole, Paris 1995 – 1999 : President Grüger, BVR Germany 1999 – 2002 : President Meijer, Rabobank Nederland 2002 – 2006 : President Pflimlin, Crédit Mutuel Paris 2006 – 2008 : President Pleister, BVR, Germany 2008 – 2012 : President Moerland, Rabobank Nederland 2012 - 2016 : President Talgorn, Crédit Agricole S.A. 2016 - 2020 : President Hofmann, BVR Germany Since 2020 : President Marttin, Rabobank Nederland

Overview of the secretaries general

1970 - 1982 : Johannes Teichert 1982 – 1996 : Guido Ravoet 1996 – 2001 : Johann-G. von Süsskind 2001 - 2021 : Hervé Guider Since 2021 : Nina Schindler

Members of the EACB

Full members

Associate members

Relationship with other European banking industry and co-operatives representatives

As the voice of co-operative banks, the EACB maintains close relations with other bodies that regroup certain co-operative banks with the purpose of enhancing business co-operation, such as the Conféderation Internationale des Banques Populaires (CIBP). In addition, the EACB is a member of Co-operatives Europe, a collection of 83 member organisations from 33 European countries. The EACB is a founding member of th
European Payments Council
(EPC), th
European Banking Industry Committee
(EBIC), and the

European Financial Reporting Advisory Group The European Financial Reporting Advisory Group is a private association established in 2001 with the encouragement of the European Commission to serve the public interest. Its Member Organisations are European stakeholders and National Organisati ...

(EFRAG).

References

{{Authority control Bankers associations Cooperative banking in Europe European trade associations 1970 establishments in Europe Organizations established in 1970 Banking organizations