European Federation of Centres of Research and Information on Sectarianism

FECRIS

Organization logo
Formation	1994
Type	Non-profit International nongovernmental organization
Purpose	Coordinate organizations monitoring new religious movements
Headquarters	France
Region served	Europe
Membership	54 member organizations in 31 countries (2009)
Official language	French, English
President	Danièle Muller-Tulli
Website	fecris.org

FECRIS (Fédération Européenne des Centres de Recherche et d'Information sur le Sectarisme) – (French) European Federation of Centres of Research and Information on Sectarianism – is a French non-profit association and anti-cult organization, that serves as an umbrella organization for groups which investigate the activities of groups considered cults in Europe.

FECRIS was formed as a French non-profit association, founded in Paris on 30 June 1994, on request of the French anti-sect association UNADFI (National Union of Associations for the Defence of Family and the Individual), after the 1993 Congress on Sectarianism in Barcelona. FECRIS serves as an umbrella organization for groups which investigate the activities of groups they consider cults in Europe, and it describes itself as "politically, philosophically and religiously neutral". The first president of FECRIS was Dr. Jacques Richard, succeeded by Friedrich Griess. The organization began in 1994 with representation from 10 different countries in Europe. The group's first meeting was held in Paris in October 1994. Its second meeting in April 1995 was attended by individuals from six different countries. At the meeting, the organization decided to focus on research, and stated "the legal aspects of family/cult relationships should be the first subject for research by an appropriate university or professional department".

At a meeting held in Germany in 1996, the organization recommended perusing recent court decisions for information that could be of use to individuals involved in groups researched by FECRIS. By 1999, FECRIS had established a website, located at www.fecris.org. The organization's president, Jean Nokin, traveled with the vice president to a meeting of the American Family Foundation (International Cultic Studies Association – ICSA) in April 2000, where they presented on the topic of "Cults and the Millennium". By May 2001, FECRIS had 36 member organizations in 24 different countries. A June 2001 meeting in Paris dealt with the impact of membership in controversial religious groups, issues of litigation against cults, and safety of youth involved in such groups. The organization held a May 2002 meeting in Barcelona on the topic of "Children and Cults".