The European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT) is the umbrella organisation for national European psychiatric trainees' organisations. It primarily aims at advancing and harmonising the quality of psychiatric education and practise. As a permanent observer member of the European Board of Psychiatry and the European Board of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the EEPT actively participates both in the development of educational guidelines and in the evaluation of psychiatric training institutions in Europe. Through its annually held European Forum for all Psychiatric Trainees the EEPT provides a unique opportunity for the exchange of training-related experiences and opinions on current developments in psychiatry. This is the first comprehensive overview of the history, goals, and political work of the EEPT, depicting its evolution from an informal meeting of psychiatric trainees to a recognised organisation representing over 10,000 young psychiatrists throughout Europe.