EASE was formed in May 1982 at Pau, France, from the European Life Science Editors' Association (ELSE) and the European Association of Earth Science Editors (Editerra).

EASE is affiliated to the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) and the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), has category A liaison status with the International Organization for Standardization (Technical Committee 46/subcommittee 9) (ISO) and is represented on committees of the British Standards Institution.

Through its affiliation to IUBS and IUGS the Association is also affiliated to the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) and is thereby in formal associate relations with UNESCO.

EASE cooperates actively with the Council of Science Editors (formerly the Council of Biology Editors) (CSE) and the Association of Earth Science Editors (AESE) in North America. Its other links include the African Association of Science Editors, the European Medical Writers Association (EMWA), the Finnish Association of Science Editors and Journalists (FASEJ), the Society of English-Native-Speaking Editors (Netherlands) (SENSE), and, in the UK, the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) and the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP).