A method of forming a catalyst coated membrane "CCM" for an alkaline membrane fuel cell "AMFC" comprising OH-ion conducting catalyst layers and an ion-conducting membrane, wherein the ionomer throughout the entire CCM is cross-linked in one chemical step including cross-linking catalyst layers within the ion-conducting membrane, enabling simultaneous chemical bonding across the interfaces between the catalyst layers and the ion-conducting membrane, wherein said catalyst layers are anode/cathode catalyst layers deposited on both sides of the membrane and wherein the CCM is a continuous polymer cross-linked structure in which no polymer interfaces are distinguishable, the method comprising: (i) soaking the whole alkaline membrane fuel cell CCM precursor into a solution, or dispersion of (a) an anion conducting ionomer material, and (b) amine compound mixture; to form a fully functionalized CCM, wherein on cross-linking the membrane is in precursor form and is catalyzed on each of its sides by the catalyst layers containing ionomers in precursor form and wherein conversion of CCM to ionic form is performed simultaneously with the cross-linking step, wherein the CCM precursor is produced by: depositing a thin film of non-ionic conducting precursor polymer mixed with metal or oxide catalysts on both sides of a thin non-ion conducting polymer precursor membrane, wherein the thin non-ion conducting polymer membrane thickness is between 5μm and 40μm, more preferably between 10μm and 30μm, and wherein the cross-linking functionality is introduced into the overall CCM structure and converts the entire alkaline membrane fuel cell non-ion conducting, precursor CCM into an alkaline membrane fuel cell anion conducting CCM cell; (ii) further soaking and washing the fully functionalized CCM in sulfuric acid; (iii) further soaking and washing the fully functionalized CCM in sodium or potassium bicarbonate aqueous solution; (iv) further soaking and washing the fully functionalized CCM in water; (v) further drying of the fully functionalized CCM at room temperature; and (vi) compressing of the fully functionalized dried CCM at room temperature. (i) soaking the whole alkaline membrane fuel cell CCM precursor into a solution, or dispersion of (a) an anion conducting ionomer material, and (b) amine compound mixture; to form a fully functionalized CCM, wherein on cross-linking the membrane is in precursor form and is catalyzed on each of its sides by the catalyst layers containing ionomers in precursor form and wherein conversion of CCM to ionic form is performed simultaneously with the cross-linking step, wherein the CCM precursor is produced by: depositing a thin film of non-ionic conducting precursor polymer mixed with metal or oxide catalysts on both sides of a thin non-ion conducting polymer precursor membrane, wherein the thin non-ion conducting polymer membrane thickness is between 5μm and 40μm, more preferably between 10μm and 30μm, and wherein the cross-linking functionality is introduced into the overall CCM structure and converts the entire alkaline membrane fuel cell non-ion conducting, precursor CCM into an alkaline membrane fuel cell anion conducting CCM cell; (ii) further soaking and washing the fully functionalized CCM in sulfuric acid; (iii) further soaking and washing the fully functionalized CCM in sodium or potassium bicarbonate aqueous solution; (iv) further soaking and washing the fully functionalized CCM in water; (v) further drying of the fully functionalized CCM at room temperature; and (vi) compressing of the fully functionalized dried CCM at room temperature.