FEBS activities include: publishing journals; providing grants for scientific meetings such as an annual Congress, Young Scientists’ Forum and FEBS Advanced Courses; offering travel awards to early-stage scientists to participate in these events; offering research Fellowships for pre- and post-doctoral bioscientists; promoting molecular life science education; encouraging integration of scientists working in economically disadvantaged countries of the FEBS area; and awarding prizes and medals for research excellence. FEBS collaborates with related scientific societies such as its Constituent Societies, the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) and the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).
Awards presented by FEBS include the Sir Hans Krebs Medal, the FEBS/EMBO Women in Science Award (presented jointly with EMBO), the Datta medal and the Theodor Bücher medal.