On 5 May 1977, Musiqueurope was founded in Frankfurt. This was eventually renamed La Confederation des Associations des Facteurs d’Instruments de Musiqe de la CEE which has been operating under the corporate style Confederation of European Music Industries since 2000. The founders were definitely agreed that overwhelming presence in Brussels was of vital importance to the European Music Industry. They were also convinced that influence could be exercised most effectively at the center of what was then the European Community (EC) – now the European Union (EU) – in solving international issues relating to customs duties and import matters involving the European Music Industry as a whole.

The following associations were actively involved in the founding of the institution:

• Association of Music Industries (AMI), United Kingdom
• Bundesverband der Deutschen Musikinstrumenten-Hersteller (BDMH), Germany
• La Federazione Italiana Strumenti Musicali Assessori (FISMA), Italy
• The Pianoforte Manufacturers Association (PMA), United Kingdom
• Fachverband Deutsche Klavierindustrie e.V. (FDK), Germany
• The Spanish, Switzerland, Italy and French associations joined later:
• Chambre Syndicale d’Instruments de la Musique (CSFI), France
• Asociacion de Fabricantes de Instrumentos Musicales y Accesorios (AFIMA), Spain
• Suissemusic Musikfachhandel Switzerland
• DISMAMUSICA (Italy)
• During the 1990s, the Spanish representation passed to:
• Organization Empresarial del Sector de Instrumentos Musicales (Comusica)

As unification within Europe gradually progressed, the general industrial confederation of music industries – originally restricted to manufacturers – came to cover the entire branch and today represents the music trade in the whole of Europe including wholesalers, retailers and importers. Subsequent spread of the EU towards the east will in future result in a whole number of new countries linking up to organization.