History

• March 1990 A group of Catholic family associations based across
  European countries starts to discuss together issues
  related to family
  
• February 1991 The Working Group of Catholic family associations in
  Europe establishes an official chart and shared rules
  
• March 1994 The Working Group approves the bylaws
  
• June 1997 The Working Group establishes the Federation, which
  is registered at the Magistrates' Court of Strasburg, t thus becoming an officially recognised body
  
• January 2001 On the 22 January 2001 the FAFCE was granted
  consultative status to the Council of Europe
  
• January 2002 FAFCE is entitled to submit collective complaints to
  the European Social Charter.
• November 2003 On the 19 November 2003 the FAFCE was granted
  participatory status and the status of partnership to the Council of Europe.

The Federation already established wide-ranging contacts with family associations in Argentinia, Great Britain, Canada, Croatia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Rumania, Switzerland, Ukraine and the U.S.A.

Number of families members of the FAFCE

The Federation represents through its members about 11 million families, approximately 40 to 45million people.

Activities of the FAFCE

The presidents of each associated member meet twice a year at a general assembly. On this occasion they put together official resolutions on matters concerning family, which are then presented to the members of the European Parliament and to other European institutions. On the 22 January 2001 the FAFCE was granted consultative status to the Council of Europe. As a further step to add visibility, the Federation might establish a permanent representation in Brussels.

Public relations of the FAFCE

On an European level, the Federation publishes the newsletter "Echo of Families". The Federation and associated members maintain and foster contacts with their own members of the European Parliament.