The European Jewish Congress (EJC), officially established in 1986, is a democratically elected body representing over 40 European Jewish communities, encompassing approximately 2.5 million Jews.  As the sole political organizational representative of European Jewry, the EJC protects the interests of its affiliated communities, working daily with European Union institutions and officials, the Council of Europe (where the EJC has participatory status) and national governments and parliaments. In 2013, EJC contributed to the establishment of the European Parliament Working Group Against Antisemitism and continues to be an integral and active part of the group in its capacity as its Secretariat and leading member of the Advisory Board.