The Federation is a non-profit voluntary associated established to advance research and education in the Science of Pharmacology and to promote co-operation between National/Regional Pharmacological Societies in Europe and surrounding countries. It seeks to co-operate with other international organisations, especially the International Union of Pharmacology.

A fundamental principle governing the work of the Federation of European Pharmacological Societies is that nothing done by, or in the name of, the Federation shall detract from autonomy of any of the participanting societies. The Federation seeks to achieve its objects by the following means:

• to hold and arrange instructional courses and training programmes in matters connected with pharmacology
  
• to facilitate the exchange of scientific information between European pharmacologists by encouraging the holding of joint meetings between European member societies and by other appropriate means, like the periodical European Congresses of Pharmacology.
  
• To collect, disseminate information and encourage the participation to important activities organized by member societies. This will include the production of a calender of the National and joint meetings of each European Society.
  
• the Federation aims at establishing common standards for basic courses in pharmacology.
  
• The Federation aims at encouraging scientific collaboration between member societies by appropriate means.