Its origins go back to 1864 as Allgemeiner Verband der auf Selbsthilfe beruhenden Deutschen Erwerbs- und Wirtschaftsgenossenschaften.

[1] The BVR represents the interests of the German Cooperative Financial Institutions at both national and international levels and coordinates and develops the joint strategy within the Network.

The BVR advises and supports its members on legal, taxation, and business management issues.

The BVR informs its member banks on economic and political developments and publishes the “Bank-Information” newsletter.

The place for democratic decision-making in the Cooperative Financial Network is the general meeting of members, at which every institution has a vote, irrespective of its size.