Founded in 1981 EFPA has a long tradition of developing psychology (by enhancing scientific and professional standards), contributing to society (by using psychological knowledge and competences in support in particular of the UN sustainable development goals) and serving psychologists (by advancing, promoting and protecting the profession of psychologists at the national and European levels).

EFPA has a network of some 400,000 psychologists through its Full Members  (professional practitioner psychologists and researchers) and many stakeholders including Associate Members which exists to promote a particular domain of psychology as education, science, and/or profession or support a particular group of Psychologists or students or teachers of psychology.

EFPA is a partner in many EU Commission funded research and development projects. EFPA sets a European standard of education, professional training and competence in psychology, EuroPsy.

EFPA is a non-governmental organisation in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations since 2017.