In the U.S., credit unions have a clear organizational structure. All credit unions belong to one or the other parent credit union (there are 35 of them in the U.S.). Representative organization, leading the coordination work in the field of development of both global and national credit union movement is the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) established in 1971 (headquartered in Madison, USA). Credit unions also differ from the traditional consumer cooperatives. All the members of the credit union, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious and political beliefs, as well as the size of the monetary share have equal rights. In the credit union compensation for use of the loan (interest) is a source of compensation for savings. In the UK, credit unions are a source of financing of people groups. This tool is not widely used. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. A credit union on its own initiative order is created by citizens (individuals) to solve their financial problems that they could not solve in other financial institutions. Today, the World Council of Credit Unions is represented as members four regional confederations and twelve national associations.