Some credit unions are closed, serving only their members. However, the more and more popularitywin cooperatives of open type. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. 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. 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.