The Founding Story
The roots of FOHNEU trace back to the early 1990s, when the Royal College of Nursing in the United Kingdom used a European Commission grant to help fund an Occupational Health Nurse symposium in England in 1993. This inaugural symposium became the catalyst for the Federation's creation: those present recognised that no single country held the best health and safety system or the most effective methods for reducing occupational ill health, and that real progress could only be achieved through partnership and mutual support among Europe's occupational health nurses.
The Federation of Occupational Health Nurses within the European Union (FOHNEU) was formally established on March 21st 1993 in Windsor, United Kingdom, by seven founding countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
The aim was to represent the voice of Occupational Health Nursing within the EU in order to promote the Health, Safety and Well-Being of the European Workforce.
Growth and Recognition
In its early years, the Federation focused on building its internal structure and establishing relationships with EU institutions. An important milestone was reached in 1995, when FOHNEU secured official recognition from the European Commission during its 3rd Board Meeting in Luxembourg. That same year, following Finland's accession to the EU in January 1995, Finnish occupational health nurses joined the Federation, reflecting how FOHNEU's membership expanded alongside the growth of the EU itself.
Over the following decades, FOHNEU built strong ties with international bodies such as the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) and contributed to WHO publications on occupational health nursing. The Federation has also conducted regular surveys on the status, training, and practice of occupational health nursing across Europe, and has supported the professional development of its members through education and research initiatives.
FOHNEU is open to all OH nursing organisations in the EU. It is a not for profit organisation and is totally funded by donations from the EU nursing organisations it represents, and through sponsorship.
Legal Status and Governance
Since 2024, FOHNEU has operated as an International Non-Profit Association (IVZW/AISBL) under Belgian law, following a conversion from its previous status as a Belgian non-profit association (VZW). This change was formally approved by the Extraordinary General Assembly on 25th July 2024, and was published in the Annexes to the Belgian Official Gazette on 11th October 2024.
Presidents since the foundation in 1993:
1993 - 1994 Pina Van Dorpe, The Netherlands (Appointed)
1994 - 1999 Frances Baker, United Kingdom (Elected)
1999 - 2001 Julie Staun, Denmark (Appointed)
2001 - 2013 Julie Staun, Denmark (Elected)
2013 - 2014 Julie Staun, Denmark (Interim), Styliani Tziaferi, Greece (President-elect)
2014 - 2016 Styliani Tziaferi, Greece (Elected)
2016 Judith Fakkel, the Netherlands (Interim)
2016 - Dr. Henriett Hirdi, Hungary (Elected)
