The Association Européenne des Assurés de l’Industrie (European Association of Industrial Insureds), or AEAI, was established as a result of the conclusion that there needed to be an organization capable of presenting a competent and powerful counterbalance to insurers on behalf of businesses. The federation which is now known as FERMA originally had six members: Belgium (GAI/VVI), France (GACI), Germany (VIV), Italy (ANRA), Netherlands (A.O.G.) and the UK (AIMIC).