The History and Organization of the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) - Reflections on the first 30 years of EFPA

Article published in the European Psychologist - 2011 Vol. 16, N°2, 90-99

Richard P. J. Freeman
Institute of Education, University of London, UK
Sabine Steyaert
EFPA Head Office, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

In 1981, the European Federation of Professional Psychologists’ Associations (EFPPA) was formed with 13 member associations (one per country) and no centralized administrative support. Thirty years later, EFPPA has become EFPA with 35 member associations representing about 300,000 psychologists across Europe. EFPA is now based in offices in the center of Brussels, the administrative heart of Europe, with a Director and staff who support the work of the EFPA Executive Council and the various Standing Committees, Task Forces, and Working Groups. In this article, the development of EFPA and the challenges faced, and mostly overcome, are outlined.

Keywords: EFPA, EFPPA, European psychology, psychology in Europe, psychology organizations

with free movement for most Europeans across Greater Europe, and the era of constant Internet access, it is easy to forget how different Europe – and the world – were in 1981. This was the year in which the IBM personal computer was introduced, there were assassination attempts on US President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II, and a disease – later termed AIDS – was identified. The Cold War, with an “iron curtain” dividing Europe, was still ongoing and the European Communities (later to become the European Union) welcomed as their 10th member Greece, which had emerged from dictatorship in the 1970s (like Spain and Portugal). But 1981 also marked the formation of the European Federation of Professional Psychologists’ Associations (EFPPA).

Weltzer (1992) notes that

although EFPPA was officially formed in 1981, it was conceived in meetings that took place in the 1970s. In particular, he highlights an invitation, in January 1974, for the Danish Psychological Association to attend the 29th Congress of the German Society for Psychology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Psychologie) in Salzburg, Austria, later that year in order to discuss a number of issues with the intention to see whether neighboring countries could help each other, but not to form a group of western psychological associations. The issues included: exchanging information and planning common action toward legislation for psychologists; opportunities for exchange of professional psychologists; exchanging observers to keep up-to-date with programs of further education; and maintaining more regular contact with international bodies. Although the Danish decided not to send a representative to that meeting, those attending (representatives from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) decided to form a working group of European Psychologists Associations. This working group met throughout the late 1970s but in 1975 the President of the Berufsverband Deutscher Psychologen (Professional Association of German Psychologists), Dr Kohlschen, noted that the working group would meet at least once a year to discuss common problems and issues in the education and practice of psychologists, but with no intention of becoming a more permanent organization. However, over time this attitude was to change.

Etiam sollicitudin lectus ipsum in vitae est.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Eget phasellus placerat dictum quis adipiscing dolor sed convallis. Aliquam quis commodo, ultricies aliquet quam. Vulputate ipsum, dolor dui neque nulla velit, maecenas enim. Tellus cursus mattis felis sapien in phasellus volutpat pellentesque neque. Elit id mauris in nunc neque tellus velit. 

Flaf_Europe

Etiam sollicitudin lectus ipsum in vitae est.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Eget phasellus placerat dictum quis adipiscing dolor sed convallis. Aliquam quis commodo, ultricies aliquet quam. Vulputate ipsum, dolor dui neque nulla velit, maecenas enim. Tellus cursus mattis felis sapien in phasellus volutpat pellentesque neque. Elit id mauris in nunc neque tellus velit. 

article

Etiam sollicitudin lectus ipsum in vitae est.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Eget phasellus placerat dictum quis adipiscing dolor sed convallis. Aliquam quis commodo, ultricies aliquet quam. Vulputate ipsum, dolor dui neque nulla velit, maecenas enim. Tellus cursus mattis felis sapien in phasellus volutpat pellentesque neque. Elit id mauris in nunc neque tellus velit. 

article

The History and Organization of the European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA) - Reflections on the first 30 years of EFPA

Richard P. J. Freeman
Institute of Education, University of London, UK
Sabine Steyaert
EFPA Head Office, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

In 1981, the European Federation of Professional Psychologists’ Associations (EFPPA) was formed with 13 member associations (one per country) and no centralized administrative support. Thirty years later, EFPPA has become EFPA with 35 member associations representing about 300,000 psychologists across Europe. EFPA is now based in offices in the center of Brussels, the administrative heart of Europe, with a Director and staff who support the work of the EFPA Executive Council and the various Standing Committees, Task Forces, and Working Groups. In this article, the development of EFPA and the challenges faced, and mostly overcome, are outlined.

Keywords: EFPA, EFPPA, European psychology, psychology in Europe, psychology organizations

article