The idea was to encourage and enhance greater collaboration between the independent scholarly European Geographical Societies, associations and institutes, each of whom had a community of geographers from a region or nation in the EU in their membership.

The initial objectives discussed in 1994 were for EUGEO to improve communication and exchange of ideas between member institutions and to act as a lobbying body for geography in Europe, to act to improve synchronisation of geographical research at a Pan-European level, and to identify new scientific and educational responsibilities for geography within Europe so as to position geography more fully within the centre of the European debate.

Between 1994 and 1996 the statutes were drafted and agreed and in Paris in December 1996 the first meeting of the Board of Directors and the first General Assembly took place, with representatives from each of the founding Societies.

The history of EUGEO is summarised in an article by A. Montanari and H. Nicolai as part of the Special Issue of Belgeo produced for the 30th IGC (Geography in Europe).