of the sector towards the EU and international institutions. Initially founded by the national interactive software trade associations in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Netherlands, ISFE expanded in 2002 to include any company representing the industry within the 27 Member States plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Today, ISFE membership comprises 13 major publishers of interactive software and 17 trade associations throughout Europe.

Registered in 2002 under Belgian law as an international association with scientific and pedagogical purposes, ISFE represents the interests of its membership to the main stakeholders, be they EU institutions, international organisations, academics, or the general public. This objective is pursued through a variety of activities, personal meetings, conferences, sponsorships, etc. In 2003, ISFE founded the Pan-European Game Information system (PEGI), which was handed over to PEGI S.A. in 2009, an independent, not-for-profit company with a social purpose established under Belgian law. PEGI is now used and recognised throughout Europe and has the enthusiastic support of the European Commission. It is considered as a model of European harmonisation in the field of the protection of children.