Membership in the credit union is voluntary and is open to all citizens bound by with joint work or residence, who wished to create a credit union to use its services and are willing to take on relevant commitments and responsibilities. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Specialization of credit unions to provide financial services to its shareholders requires a particularly strict regulation of membership and acceptable activities. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. To increase the number of credit unions in 1979 was adopted the corresponding law that serves as the legal basis of their activity. Today, the World Council of Credit Unions is represented as members four regional confederations and twelve national associations.