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Agencies of the European Union

Distinct body of the European Union


Distinct body of the European Union

The European Union and Euratom have agencies, decentralised independent bodies, corporate bodies and joint undertakings which are established as juridical persons through secondary EU legislation and tasked with a specific narrow field of work. They are a part of the wider set of bodies of the European Union and Euratom and are therefore distinct from:

  • international law juridical persons established through primary (treaty) legislation, either as an EU institution (the European Central Bank) or as an EU body of another type (such as the European Investment Bank Group entities, the European University Institute, the European Stability Mechanism or the Unified Patent Court)
  • other EU institutions
  • other EU bodies lacking juridical personality, including the advisory bodies, the independent offices held by a single person (European Ombudsman, European Data Protection Supervisor), and the (non-independent, auxiliary) EU inter-institutional services, regardless of whether established through treaty or through secondary legislation
  • the pan-EU organisational forms which are not considered constituent bodies of the EU or Euratom, regardless of whether possessing juridical personality (European Research Infrastructure Consortium, European political party, European political foundation, European grouping of territorial cooperation, Societas Europaea, Societas Cooperativa Europaea) or lacking it (European economic interest grouping)

Overview

In contrast to other EU bodies established through secondary legislation, each of more than fifty such entities has its own juridical personality granted by the EU law, recognised across the EU, and in some cases, also across the EEA countries, Switzerland, Serbia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and Turkey. Nevertheless, in relations with other non-EU third countries, they are in general not recognised as independent entities, thus being considered either parts of the juridical personality of the EU or Euratom.

Some of the agencies, decentralised independent bodies and joint undertakings of the European Union and Euratom are tasked with answering the need to develop scientific or technical know-how in certain fields, others bring together different interest groups to facilitate dialogue at European and international level.

Existing agencies

They are divided into the following groups:

Decentralised agencies of the EU

Distinct from the EU institutions, the agencies of the European Union are specialist bodies set up to advise the Institutions and Member States in areas that affect everyone living in the Union. They are located in member states across the EU, providing services, information, and know-how. The total budget of all the decentralised agencies is approximately 0.8% of the EU's annual budget.

Single market agencies

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEst.Members and observers
European Agency for Safety and Health at WorkEU-OSHABilbaoSpain1994members: EU states, European Commission
European Centre for the Development of Professional TrainingCedefopThessalonikiGreece1975members: EU states
observers: Iceland, Norway
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working ConditionsEUROFOUNDDublinIreland1975members: EU states, European Commission
observers: EFTA
European Environment AgencyEEACopenhagenDenmark1994members: EU states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey
co-operating: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia
European Training FoundationETFTurinItaly1994members: EU states, European Commission
European Medicines AgencyEMAAmsterdam (since 2019)
London (1995–2019)Netherlands
(UK until 2019)1995members: EU states, European Commission, European Parliament
observers: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
European Union Intellectual Property OfficeEUIPOAlicanteSpain1994members: EU states, European Commission
Community Plant Variety OfficeCPVOAngersFrance1994members: EU states, European Commission
Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European UnionCdTLuxembourg CityLuxembourg1994members: EU states, European Commission
European Food Safety AuthorityEFSAParmaItaly2002members: EU states
observers European Commission, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland
European Maritime Safety AgencyEMSALisbonPortugal2002members: EU states, European Commission, Iceland, Norway
European Aviation Safety AgencyEASACologneGermany2003members: EU states, European Commission, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland
observers: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, UNMIK
European Centre for Disease Prevention and ControlECDCStockholmSweden2005members: EU states, European Commission, European Parliament
observers: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
European Union Agency for the Space ProgrammeEUSPAPragueCzech Republic2021members: EU states, European Commission
observers: Norway, European Space Agency
European Railway AgencyERAValenciennes and LilleFrance2004members: EU states, European Commission, Norway
European Fisheries Control AgencyEFCAVigoSpain2005members: EU states, European Commission
European Chemicals AgencyECHAHelsinkiFinland2007members: EU states, European Commission, European Parliament
observers: Iceland, Norway
Agency for Support for BERECBEREC OfficeRigaLatvia2010members: EU states, European Commission
Agency for the Cooperation of Energy RegulatorsACERLjubljanaSlovenia2009
European Labour AuthorityELABratislavaSlovakia2019members: EU states, European Commission, European Parliament
EU Customs AuthorityEUCATBD (competition among Member States ongoing)TBD (competition among Member States ongoing)TBD

Area of freedom, security and justice agencies

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEst.Members and observers
European Union Agency for Law Enforcement TrainingCEPOLBudapest (since 2014)
Bramshill (2005–2014)Hungary
(UK till 2014)2005members: EU states without Denmark
associates: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland
European Union Agency for Law Enforcement CooperationEuropolThe HagueNetherlands1998members: EU states
European body for the enhancement of judicial co-operationEurojustThe HagueNetherlands2002members: EU states
European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT Systems in the area of freedom, security and justiceeu-LISATallinnEstonia2012
European Border and Coast Guard AgencyFrontexWarsawPoland2016members: EU states, except Ireland, Schengen Area states not members of the EU
European Union Drugs AgencyEUDALisbonPortugal1993members: EU states, European Commission, European Parliament, Norway
observers: Turkey
European Union Agency for CybersecurityENISAAthensGreece2005members: EU states
European Union Agency for AsylumEUAAVallettaMalta2011
European Institute for Gender EqualityEIGEVilniusLithuania2007members: EU states
European Union Agency for Fundamental RightsFRAViennaAustria2007members: EU states, European Commission, Council of Europe
Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of TerrorismAMLAFrankfurtGermany2024members: EU states

European supervisory authorities

European supervisory authorities (of the European System of Financial Supervision)

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEst.Members and observers
European Banking AuthorityEBAParis (since 2019)
London (2011–2019)France
(UK till 2019)2011
European Securities and Markets AuthorityESMAParisFrance2011
European Insurance and Occupational Pensions AuthorityEIOPAFrankfurtGermany2011

Banking union (Single Resolution Mechanism) bodies

Single Resolution Mechanism bodies (of the European banking union)

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEst.Members and observers
Single Resolution BoardSRBBrusselsBelgium2015Eurozone countries, Bulgaria

Common Security and Defence Policy agencies

Common Security and Defence Policy agencies (under the former II Pillar)

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEst.Members and observers
European Defence AgencyEDABrusselsBelgium2004Members: EU states; European Commission
Participant: Norway
European Institute for Security StudiesEUISSParisFrance2001
European Union Satellite CentreSatCenTorrejón de ArdozSpain2002

Executive agencies of the EU

Executive agencies are created by the European Commission for a fixed period.

Official nameAbbreviationLocation
European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive AgencyEISMEABrussels
European Education and Culture Executive AgencyEACEABrussels
European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive AgencyCINEABrussels
European Research Executive AgencyREABrussels
European Research Council Executive AgencyERCEABrussels
European Health and Digital Executive AgencyHaDEABrussels

Euratom agencies

Official nameAbbreviationLocation
Euratom Supply AgencyESALuxembourg City

Joint undertakings

A joint undertaking is a juridical person and a subsidiary body of the EU or Euratom, established through an agreement between the European Commission, the participating member states, and the European industry of a certain field, with the purpose of implementing a public-private partnership project.

of the European Union

Official nameAbbreviation
Bio-based IndustriesBBI
Clean SkyCS
Electronic Components and SystemsECSEL
Fuel Cells and HydrogenFCH
High-Performance ComputingEuroHPC
Innovative Medicines InitiativeIMI
Single European Sky Air Traffic Management ResearchSESAR
Shift-2-RailS2R

of Euratom

Official nameAbbreviation
Fusion for EnergyF4E
Joint European TorusJET

Independent secondary-legislation bodies

Decentralised

The list includes the two decentralised bodies other than agencies, established as EU juridical persons through secondary legislation of the EU/Euratom.

Official nameAbbrev.LocationMember stateMembers and associates
European Institute of Innovation and TechnologyEITBudapestHungaryMembers: EEA countries, Switzerland; associates: the United Kingdom
European Public Prosecutor's OfficeEPPOLuxembourg CityLuxembourgMembers: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain

Other

The list includes the remaining two bodies other than agencies, decentralised bodies or joint undertakings, established as EU juridical persons through secondary legislation of the EU/Euratom.

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEst.
European Data Protection BoardEDPBBrusselsBelgium2018
Authority for European Political Parties and European Political FoundationsAPPFBrusselsBelgium2014

Non-existing decentralised bodies

Proposed and abandoned

NameAbbreviationFate
Health Emergency Preparedness and Response AuthorityHERAEventually established as DG HERA instead.

Transformed or dissolved

Agencies

Official nameAbbreviationLocationMember stateEstablishedAbolishedFate
European Monitoring Centre on Racism and XenophobiaEUMCViennaAustria19972007Transformed into FRA
European Agency for ReconstructionEARThessalonikiGreece20002008Dissolved; tasks assigned to DG NEAR and IPA
Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive AgencyChafeaLuxembourg CityLuxembourg20052015Dissolved; tasks assigned to DG SANTE and to HaDEA
European GNSS Supervisory AuthorityGSAundef.undef.20042010Transformed into the second GSA
European GNSS AgencyGSAPragueCzech Republic20102021Transformed into EUSPA
European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the
External Borders of the Member States of the European UnionFrontexWarsawPoland20052016Transformed into current Frontex

Euratom joint undertakings

  • Schnell-Brüter- Kernkraftwerksgesellschaft mbH' (SBK)
  • Hochtemperatur- Kernkraftwerk GmbH (HKG)

References

Notes

References

  1. Anonymous. (5 July 2016). "Agencies and other EU bodies – European Union – European Commission".
  2. European Commission. (27 April 2018). "Decentralised agencies". Europa (web portal).
  3. Deloitte. (November 2016). "How do EU agencies and other bodies contribute to the Europe 2020 Strategy and to the Juncker Commission Agenda?". European Union.
  4. (1 January 2000). "OSHA membership". Europa (web portal).
  5. "Cedefop membership". Europa (web portal).
  6. (3 June 2010). "EUROFOUND membership". Europa (web portal).
  7. "EEA membership". Europa (web portal).
  8. (1 June 2009). "ETF membership". Europa (web portal).
  9. (20 November 2017). "Paris and Amsterdam to host key EU agencies post-Brexit". [[BBC News]].
  10. "EMA membership". Europa (web portal).
  11. Former Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
  12. Former OHIM
  13. "OHIM membership".
  14. "CPVO membership". Europa (web portal).
  15. (December 2017). "CdT membership}}{{dead link".
  16. (24 March 2011). "EMSA membership". Europa (web portal).
  17. "EASA members". Europa (web portal).
  18. "EASA observers". Europa (web portal).
  19. "ECDC observers". Europa (web portal).
  20. (27 November 2019). "From GSA to EUSPA: space transforming business and the economy".
  21. "GSA observers". Europa (web portal).
  22. "ERA observers". Europa (web portal).
  23. "CFCA membership". Europa (web portal).
  24. "ECHA membership". Europa (web portal).
  25. (25 November 2009). "About BEREC". Erg.eu.int.
  26. "European Labour Authority – Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion". European Commission.
  27. "European Labour Authority". Europa.
  28. "Selection of the seat of the European Union Customs Authority (EUCA)". European Commission.
  29. "Police Colleges". Europa.
  30. "Regulation (EU) No 1077/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 establishing a European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice". EUR-Lex.
  31. "Agencies". European Commission.
  32. "European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, security and justice (eu-LISA)".
  33. Valentina Pop. (October 11, 2010). "Estonia and France are candidates for IT agency seat". EUobserver.
  34. (2016-10-06). "European Border and Coast Guard Agency launches today". Europa.
  35. "EUDA Management Board". Europa.
  36. "Regulation (EC) No 460/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 March 2004 establishing the European Network and Information Security Agency (Text with EEA relevance)". Europa.
  37. "Regulation (EC) No 1922/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on establishing a European Institute for Gender Equality". EUR-Lex.
  38. (15 April 2011). "FRA membership". Europa (web portal).
  39. "EBA legal framework". Europa (web portal).
  40. "ESMA legal framework". Europa (web portal).
  41. "EIOPA legal framework". Europa (web portal).
  42. "Denmark joins the European Defence Agency".
  43. (8 June 2017). "Ministry of Justice: New European Public Prosecutor's Office to be based in Luxembourg".
  44. . (1 June 2021). ["Joint Statement by Vice-President Jourová, Commissioner Hahn and Commissioner Reynders on the launch of the European Public Prosecutor's Office"](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_21_2755). *European Commission*.
  45. "Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations". Europa (web portal).
  46. "European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA)".
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