How We Started
The foundations of the IFES project were laid at the beginning of the 1990s when, after numerous meetings between the representatives of some European Union member states organizations and those of Romanian ones, the need to set up a center in Romania was felt. This center was to provide consultancy and training services for the Romanian economic and social development.
Thus, in 1994, with the support of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs from France and Luxembourg, a partnership was created: between CFDT and CODIFOR France, CSC Belgium, LCGB Luxembourg and the Chamber of Commerce, the Employers' Association, ATCOM, UCIC, Cartel ALFA, UJCSDR and CNSRL Fratia from Cluj, for the setting up at Cluj of the Economic and Social Training Institute (Institutul de Formare Economica si Sociala - IFES).
The institution has been built with the participation and under the supervision of the above mentioned partners, and has benefited from the material support of the European Commission by means of a Phare Partnership program.
During the year 1995-1996 a very demanding process of selection and training of the future consultants was developed. More than 100 people had initially applied to be admitted in the project. They had to attend training courses for one year, with a final two-week session in France and Luxembourg.
Set up as a foundation, benefiting from the support of the same organizations, now having the statute of founding members, the Economic and Social Training Institute started its activity on the 1st of October 1996.
