 ERC was created in 1995, following the advent of professionalism, by the then Five Nations Committee.In 2012, Premiership Rugby and LNR, on behalf of the English and French clubs respectively, notified ERC that they would be withdrawing from the accord governing the competition, being dissatisfied with the organisation of the competition and the distribution of funding.Premiership Rugby subsequently refused to join any new agreement in which ERC remained organisers of European rugby tournaments.