Most modern credit unions represent specialized consumer cooperatives of citizens associated by the principle of social community: place of work, place of residence, profession, or any other shared interest. Principles of cooperative democracy and interaction were adequate to the purposes for which people joined credit unions. Credit union services are available only to its shareholders. Membership in the credit union forms responsible citizens and conscientious attitude to their obligations as a norm of behavior, identify the value of a decent man's reputation in the business turnover. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. Unlike banks, in order to use the services of a credit union, you have to become its member, having written an application and having paid thus shares and membership fee. U.S. credit unions have another significant difference from the credit cooperatives of farmers: the first have major proportion of short-term loans, the second - long and mostly in real estate. Today, the World Council of Credit Unions is represented as members four regional confederations and twelve national associations.