The COSIROC (Comité de Défense des Sites et Rochers d'Escalade) was born in Paris in 1962 out of a concern to protect the environmental heritage of France. The stated goal of its existence was to coordinate the actions undertaken by certain major associations. At the present time twelve such associations fall under its aegis, including the French Federation for Mountaineering and Rock Climbing (FFME), the French Alpine Club (CAF), as well as other sporting and ecological associations.
It has been responsible for, or actively involved in, a number of campaigns which have led to the establishment of nature reserves, the classification of certain areas as protected sites, the making of certain wooded areas part of the public domain, etc.
In 1967 the COSIROC created a Commission des Circuits d'Escalade whose activity involved the upkeep of the bouldering circuits in the Fontainebleau Forest and surrounding areas, protection of the climbing areas from erosion and over-painting, forest management, etc.
Finally, realizing that the protection of France's climbing areas and maintaining the climbers' right to climb was directly related to a number of problems posed by the current climbing practices (over-pegging, peg pulling, safety, relations with the local inhabitants of climbing areas), the COSIROC created the Commission des Écoles d'Escalade in 1981. This commission is more particularly concerned with problems related to sport practice crags, the putting up of new routes on these crags, the amount and type of protection, re-pegging of routes, etc.
Apart from the present inventory of climbing areas throughout France, this commission has made an attempt to develop consistent policies concerning the placing of fixed protection on climbing crags. The commission has also carried out tests on the reliability of various techniques used to cement fixed pegs and rappel points.
The COSIROC is distinct from the French Federation for Mountaineering and Rock Climbing (FFME) but maintains close relations with the FFME especially since December 1985. At this date the FFM expressed its concern for the protection and the equipment of climbing sites by creating the Commission de Protection des Sites d'Escalade (now called Commission des Sites Naturels d'Escalade) which works in close cooperation with the COSIROC.
The joint action of the COSIROC and the FFME resulted in several successes, such as: