Abstract
Background: In 2026, the CFQ/CRQ System turns 70 (Law No. 2,800/1956), overseeing a sector responsible for ~11% of industrial GDP, but it lacked a chronological reconstruction based on its own official primary records. Aim: To reconstruct the System's legal genesis, establish a documented official chronology of its presidencies, and discuss current regulatory challenges. Methods: Historiographical-descriptive documentary research based on normative sources and unprecedented access to the internal record "Galeria de Presidentes," provided by the CFQ Presidency Office in 2026. Results: Eight substantive presidencies and interim periods (1957–2026) were detailed, substantiating the interim exercise by Oscar Bergstron Lourenço (1963–1964) and Juvenal Dória's inauguration in 1964. The System now comprises 21 regional councils and over 230,000 registrants. The study identified under-documentation of Hebe Martelli's trajectory (the only female president) and an open divergence regarding the number of regional councils created in 1957. Discussion: Normative Resolution No. 36/1974 remains the milestone for professional attributions. Recent regulations revisit historical challenges, such as attributing competencies to hybrid curricula and establishing chemical safety as a public good, requiring anticipation of energy, materials, and digital transitions. Limitations: The chronology relies on institutional records that the authors did not independently audit against primary archives. Conclusions: Access to primary records consolidated the documentary memory of the System's seventy years, whose legacy lies in adapting the regulatory framework to technological transformations.