For an introduction to FEBS, see the About page.

FEBS is registered as a charity (registered charity number 1149638) and is a company limited by guarantee (registered company number 08239097). Find more details on the charitable status and objectives on the ‘FEBS as a charity‘ page.

The governance of FEBS is based on committees of elected scientists who volunteer their time, working under a FEBS Council of delegates from each Constituent Society, as summarized below. Governance is set out in detail in the FEBS Memorandum and Articles of Association, and points of reference for its Committees and Working Groups are listed in the FEBS Bylaws (see Related Documents at the bottom of this page).

FEBS Council

FEBS is governed by a Council consisting of one delegate from each of its Member Societies, and also the members of the FEBS Executive Committee. Each Member Society delegate and Executive Committee member have one vote each. FEBS currently has 39 Constituent Societies; 35 are Member Societies who have paid full subscriptions, and 4 are Associate Member Societies who do not pay subscriptions. Associate Member Societies can send an observer to Council but they cannot vote. The full list of FEBS Constituent Societies can be seen here.

FEBS Council meets once a year at the annual FEBS Congress. It elects the members of the FEBS Executive Committee, as well as other FEBS Committee and Working Group members, for fixed terms.

FEBS Executive Committee

Subject to the Council, the administration of the Federation is vested in the FEBS Executive Committee (the ‘FEBS Officers’). They are empowered to act on behalf of the Council and to enter into contracts in the period between meetings of the Council. The Executive Committee consists of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson, the FEBS Secretary General, the FEBS Treasurer, the FEBS Congress Counsellor, and the FEBS Committee and Working Group Chairs. FEBS Officers are the FEBS charity Trustees and company Directors.

Current members of the FEBS Executive Committee are listed here.

Other Committees and Working Groups

Specific areas of FEBS work are delegated to Committees and Working Groups, as set out in the FEBS governing documents. Current FEBS Committees and Working Groups and their members are listed here. Chairpersons of these groups are members of the FEBS Executive Committee.

Reports on the work of FEBS Committees and Working Groups are presented to FEBS Council and in brief in the FEBS Annual Report.