IFATSEA is the global body for the representation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEP) on professional matters.

Following a series of person to person contacts over a number of years a meeting was convened in Brussels on the 12th and the 13th of November 1971. Attending the inaugural meeting were representatives from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland.

The meeting agreed that a draft Constitution would be presented to an inaugural Assembly to be held in Frankfurt in October 1972. Ten countries were represented at the first Assembly. These were: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Switzerland and United Kingdom. The Assembly adopted the Constitution and the Federation had come into being with a membership of ten and a course of action was set in motion to make IFATSEA known, and to have as its primary object the recognition of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel (ATSEPs), by national and international bodies.

Ten years after the setting up of IFATSEA, the membership had doubled and the federation was fully recognised as representing the interests of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Personnel by such bodies as, ICAO, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and EUROCAE. The association works closely with other Professional Associations for staff in the aviation sector, International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), IFATCA and IFALPA.

Today, IFATSEA has more than 20,000 members form 60 countries worldwide.

The objects of IFATSEA:

• 1) To operate as a non-political Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations.
• 2) To promote safety, efficiency and regularity in International Air Navigation.
• 3) To assist and advise in the development of electronics systems in order to maintain the safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic.
• 4) To uphold a high standard of knowledge and professional efficiency among Air Traffic Safety Electronics personnel.
• 5) To protect and safeguard the collective professional interests of Air Traffic Safety Electronics personnel.
• 6) To make mutual benefit affiliations with other professional organisations.
• 7) To strive for a worldwide Federation of Air Traffic Safety Electronics Associations.