The European League for Economic Cooperation was founded in 1946 by Paul Van Zeeland (Belgium), Józef Retinger (Poland) and Pieter Kerstens (the Netherlands).
They were rapidly joined by other people such as Edmond Giscard d'Estaing (France), Harold Butler (United Kingdom) and Hermann Abs (Germany).
It is in the commissions that ELEC's essential research is carried out, as well as the drafting of position papers that give rise to various publications.
From the very first years of its existence, ELEC showed a keen interest for the monetary aspects of European integration which remained unabated ever since.
First and foremost, ELEC hinges on its national sections, which enjoy considerable autonomy in recruiting their members, assembling their financial resources and organising their own activities.
It is in the commissions that ELEC's essential research is carried out, as well as the drafting of position papers that give rise to various publications.