The ICA was founded in London (United Kingdom) on 19 August 1895 during the 1st ICA Co-operative Congress. In attendance were representatives from co-operatives from Argentina, Australia, Belgium, England, Denmark, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Serbia, and the USA. Representatives established ICA's aims to provide information, define and defend the Co-operative Principles and develop international trade.
1895 - ICA is established on 9 August 1895 in London, United Kingdom.
1896 - ICA confirms its political neutrality.
1897 - ICA begins to collect co-operative statistics.
1900 - ICA had 54 members organisations.
1909 - The ICA publication, "International Co-operative Bulletin" pubished in English, French and German.
The ICA was one of the only international organisations to survive both World War I and World War II. Overcoming all he political differences between its members was extremely difficult, but the ICA survived by staying committed to peace, democracy, and by remaining politically neutral.
1922 - ICA establishes a committee "International Co-operative Banking". Today it is known as the International Co-operative Banking Association (ICBA), a sectoral organisation of the ICA regrouping co-operative banks and other financial institutions.
1922 - ICA establishes its International Insurance Committee. In 1971 it was renamed to the International Co-operative Insurance Federation and today it is known as the International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF), an ICA sectoral organisation.
1923 - The first ICA Co-operative Day is celebrated.
1937 - ICA undertakes its first review of the Co-operative Principles.
1946 - ICA is one of the three first non-governmental organisations to be accorded consultative status with the United Nations.
1951 - ICA establishes an Agricultural Committee regrouping agricultural co-operatives in ICA membership. Today it is known as the International Co-operative Agricultural Organisation (ICAO), a sectoral organisation of the ICA.
1952 - ICA sets up a committee for housing co-operatives. Today it is known as ICA Housing, a sectoral organisation regrouping housing co-operatives within ICA's membership.
1965 - United Nations declares an International Co-operative Year
1966 - ICA undertakes its second review of the Co-operative Principles.
1966 - ICA sets up a sub-committee of the ICA's Agricultural Committee to focus on fisheries co-operatives. The Fisheries committee becomes an independent body in 1976 and is now known as the International Co-operative Fisheries Organisations (ICFO).
1968 - ICA establishes a Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific estabished in New Delhi (India).
1976 - The International Association of Tourism Co-operative (TICA) was founded as a Working Party in Copenhagen by a Resolution of the 26th ICA Congress in Paris (France). In June 1985 it became a sectoral organisation of the ICA and today is known by its acronym TICA.
1982 - ICA moves its headquarters from London to Geneva (Switzerland).
1990 - ICA establishes its Regional Office for the Americas in San José (Costa Rica).
1992 - ICA begins a decentralisation process and establablishes four regions: Africa, Americas, Asia and the Pacific, and Europe.
1994 - ICA Europe, ICA's Regional Office for Europe is established.
1995 - ICA adopts revised Co-operative Principles and Values and adds a seventh principle, "Concern for Community".
1995 - The United Nations proclaims the 1st UN International Day of Co-operatives to coincide with the celebrations of ICA's Co-operative Day following ICA lobbying activities through the Committe for the Promotion and Advancement of Co-operatives (COPAC).
1996 - ICA set up the International Health Co-operative Organisation (IHCO), a sectoral organisation of the ICA regrouping health co-operatives.
1999 - ICA signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to promote closer collaboration for supporting agricultural co-operative development.
2000 - ICA adopts the ICA Strategy for Promoting Gender Equality
2001 - ICA signs second Memorandum of Understanding with United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS-Habitat) to promote co-operatives contribution to sustainable human settlements and housing co-operatives in particular
2001 - The United Nations adopts Guidelines aimed at creating a supportive environment for the development of co-operatives which is annexed to the Secretary-General's Report on Co-operatives.
2002 - ILO adopts Recommendation No. 193 on the Promotion of Co-operatives (English -- Français -- Español). ICA played a significant role in the lobbying and negotiation process with co-operative representatives and supporters on the government, employer and workers' benches.
2003 - ICA adopts new ICA Rules and Standing Orders at its General Assembly in Oslo (Norway).
2004 - ICA signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Labour Office (ILO) to implement a "Common Co-operative Agenda" aimed at creating decent jobs and reducing poverty.
2004 - ICA adopts the ICA Strategy for Co-operatives Fighting HIV/AIDS.
2005 - ICA Europe moves its office to Brussels (Belgium).
2006 - ICA launches new website for co-operative news
