Credit union is created by a group of members who pursue a common interest. Agreeing to make regular contributions, they create a fund from which can borrow money for investments and replenishment of working capital at favorable interest rates. Credit union promotes the effective conservation of personal funds of its members, giving them the loans from the funds of the credit union, as well as the sharing of savings in education, housing, health care and other programs of social support and social development of its members. As of the January 1, 2012 the national associations and confederations unite more than 196 million members participating in the 51,013 credit unions in 100 countries. The main activities of credit unions, aimed at the organization of mutual aid and social support of citizens is not intended to profit. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. Standards by which credit unions build their work do not coincide with the standards and regulations of consumer cooperation of the usual type. Credit cooperatives and credit unions exist in many different forms. The main differences relate to the nature of the membership and the opening of a credit institution.