9.5. Administrative structure of the European Union: official titles and listing order
9.5.1. Institutions and bodies
The institutions and bodies must be listed in protocol order.
The following list indicates the official title, following protocol order since 1 December 2009 (entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon). The list is followed by a table indicating the form of title to use according to the type of publication, along with the relevant abbreviation and the location of the seat.
See also Annex A9 – Institutions, bodies, interinstitutional services and organisations: multilingual list
(a) Institutions
—
—
European Council
•
President of the European Council
—
—
—
Court of Justice of the European Union
•
Court of Justice
•
General Court
NB:
The Civil Service Tribunal, established in 2004, ceased to operate on 1 September 2016 after its jurisdiction was transferred to the General Court.
—
—
(b) External policy body
—
European External Action Service
•
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy
Three Councils
(do not get them confused)
(do not get them confused)
In the European Union
Meetings of the Heads of State or Government (presidents or prime ministers) and the President of the European Commission take place, in principle, four times a year. These meetings are also known as ‘summits’. The European Council fixes the general political guidelines of the Union.
The ministers of the Member States meet regularly within the Council of the European Union. Depending on the issue on the agenda, each country will be represented by the minister responsible for that. It is the Union’s main decision-making body and determines the greater part of EU legislation.
Outside the European Union
The Council of Europe is an intergovernmental organisation but is not a European Union institution.
(c) Consultative bodies
(d) Other bodies
—
—
—
—
| INSTITUTIONS AND BODIES – Different forms of title | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Long name | Short name (1) | Abbreviation | Seat |
| European Parliament | Parliament | EP | Strasbourg (2) |
| European Council | — | — | Brussels |
| Council of the European Union | Council
NB:
In popular parlance: —
Council [Council of …
(specialised, e.g. Agriculture, Ministers) —
e.g. Fisheries Council (specific) |
— | Brussels |
| European Commission | Commission | — | Brussels (3) |
| Court of Justice of the European Union (institution) | Court of Justice | CJEU | Luxembourg |
•
Court of Justice (instance) |
Court | — | Luxembourg |
•
General Court |
Court | — | Luxembourg |
| European Central Bank | Central Bank, Bank | ECB | Frankfurt am Main |
| European Court of Auditors (4) | Court of Auditors, Court | ECA | Luxembourg |
| in the Official Journal: Court of Auditors | |||
| European External Action Service | — | EEAS | Brussels |
| European Economic and Social Committee | Committee | EESC (5) | Brussels |
| European Committee of the Regions (6) | Committee | CoR | Brussels |
| in the Official Journal, L series: Committee of the Regions | |||
| European Investment Bank | Bank | EIB | Luxembourg |
| European Ombudsman | Ombudsman | — | Strasbourg (7) |
| European Data Protection Supervisor | European Supervisor, Supervisor | EDPS | Brussels |
| European Data Protection Board | Board | EDPB | Brussels |
(1)
The abbreviated form should only be used if there is no
possibility of confusion (notably between ‘Court’ and ‘Committee’). The
full expression must always be used at the first mention.
(2)
The seat of the Parliament is at Strasbourg. Additional
sessions are organised at Brussels. The Secretariat is installed at Luxembourg.
(3)
The Commission has its seat at Brussels, but it has some
services based in Luxembourg.
(4)
‘European Court of Auditors’ is the title in general use. However, the official title used in purely legal texts is ‘Court of Auditors of the European Union’ (before 1.12.2009: ‘Court of Auditors of the European Communities’), even if it is rarely found in texts. The short form ‘Court of Auditors’ is used in the Official Journal.
(5)
Do not use the short form ‘Economic and Social Committee’
or the abbreviation ‘CES’.
(6)
‘European Committee of the Regions’ is the name generally used. In purely legal texts and in the Official Journal, L series, use the official denomination ‘Committee of the Regions’. Acronym in use not to be changed (as requested by the Committee).
(7)
The seat of the Ombudsman is that of the European Parliament. |
|||
9.5.2. Interinstitutional services
The interinstitutional services are attached administratively to the European Commission (see also Section 9.6).
| Name | Short name | Abbreviation | Seat | Reference act (founding act) (a) |
Modification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cybersecurity Service for the Union Institutions, Bodies, Offices and Agencies (1) | — | CERT-EU | Brussels | OJ L, 2023/2841, 18.12.2023 | Written form amended |
| European Personnel Selection Office (2) | Personnel Selection Office | EPSO (*) | Brussels | OJ L 197, 26.7.2002, p. 53 | |
•
School of Administration |
•
EUSA (*) |
||||
| Publications Office of the European Union (4) | Publications Office | OP (*) | Luxembourg | OJ L 168, 30.6.2009, p. 41 (OJ 152, 13.7.1967, p. 18) |
|
(a)
The reference act is in principle the founding act. If the latter has been ‘recast’ or a ‘codification’ of it has been made, or if it has been repealed and replaced by a new act, this modified act becomes the new reference act (the original founding act is then indicated in brackets as a reminder).
(*)
Same abbreviation in all languages.
(1)
Attached administratively to the Directorate-General for Digital Services.
(2)
Usual name.
(3)
Attached administratively to the European Personnel Selection Office.
(4)
Until 30.6.2009: ‘Office for Official Publications of the European Communities’. |
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9.5.3. Decentralised organisations (agencies)
Decentralised organisations (agencies) are created by a specific legislative act and charged with a particular task.
Generally, the organisations are cited in alphabetical order of the language of the publication.
| Name | Abbreviation | Seat | Reference act (founding act) (a) |
Modifications (b) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agency for Support for BEREC (short form: BEREC Office) |
— | Riga | OJ L 321, 17.12.2018, p. 1 (OJ L 337, 18.12.2009, p. 1) |
|
| Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations | — | Brussels | OJ L 317, 4.11.2014, p. 1 | Written form amended |
| Community Plant Variety Office | CPVO | Angers | OJ L 227, 1.9.1994, p. 1 | Amending act under preparation |
| European Agency for Safety and Health at Work | EU-OSHA (*) | Bilbao | OJ
L 30, 31.1.2019, p. 58 (OJ L 216, 20.8.1994, p. 1) |
|
| European Banking Authority | EBA | Paris | OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 12 | Amending act (seat): OJ L 291, 16.11.2018, p. 1 |
| European Border and Coast Guard Agency | Frontex (*) | Warsaw | OJ L 295, 14.11.2019, p. 1 (OJ L 349, 25.11.2004, p. 1) |
|
| European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control | ECDC (*) | Stockholm | OJ L 142, 30.4.2004, p. 1 | Written form amended |
| European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training | Cedefop (*) | Thessaloniki | OJ
L 30, 31.1.2019, p. 90 (OJ L 39, 13.2.1975, p. 1) |
|
| European Chemicals Agency | ECHA (*) | Helsinki | (OJ L 396, 30.12.2006, p. 1) | Corrigendum: OJ L 136, 29.5.2007, p. 3 |
| European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre | Bucharest | OJ L 202, 8.6.2021, p. 1 | ||
| European Environment Agency | EEA | Copenhagen | OJ L 126, 21.5.2009, p. 13 | |
| European Fisheries Control Agency | EFCA | Vigo | OJ
L 83, 25.3.2019, p. 18 (OJ L 128, 21.5.2005, p. 1) |
|
| European Food Safety Authority | EFSA (*) | Parma | OJ L 31, 1.2.2002, p. 1 | |
| European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions | Eurofound (*) | Dublin | OJ L 30, 31.1.2019, p. 74 (OJ L 139, 30.5.1975, p. 1) |
Written form amended |
| European Institute for Gender Equality | EIGE (*) | Vilnius | OJ L 403, 30.12.2006, p. 9 | |
| European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority | EIOPA | Frankfurt am Main | OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 48 | |
| European Labour Authority | ELA | Bratislava | OJ L 186, 11.7.2019, p. 21 | Establishment: 31.7.2019 |
| European Maritime Safety Agency | EMSA | Lisbon | OJ L 208, 5.8.2002, p. 1 | |
| European Medicines Agency | EMA (*) | Amsterdam | OJ L 136, 30.4.2004, p. 1 | Amending act (seat): OJ L 291, 16.11.2018, p. 3 |
| European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction | EMCDDA | Lisbon | OJ
L 376, 27.12.2006, p. 1 (OJ L 36, 12.2.1993, p. 1) |
Amending act: OJ L 166, 30.6.2023, p. 6 Entry into force: 1.7.2023 EMCDDA replaced by EUDA: 2.7.2024 |
| European Public Prosecutor’s Office | EPPO | Luxembourg | OJ L 283, 31.10.2017, p. 1 | |
| European Securities and Markets Authority | ESMA | Paris | OJ L 331, 15.12.2010, p. 84 | |
| European Training Foundation | ETF (*) | Turin | OJ L 354, 31.12.2008, p. 82 (OJ L 131, 23.5.1990, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for Asylum | EUAA | Malta | OJ L 468, 30.12.2021, p. 1 | |
| European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation | Eurojust | The Hague | OJ
L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 138 (OJ L 63, 6.3.2002, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for Cybersecurity | ENISA (*) | Heraklion | OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, p. 15 (OJ L 77, 13.3.2004, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights | FRA (*) | Vienna | OJ L 53, 22.2.2007, p. 1 | |
| European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation | Europol | The Hague | OJ L 135, 24.5.2016, p. 53 (OJ C 316, 27.11.1995, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training | CEPOL | Budapest | OJ L 319, 4.12.2015, p. 1 (OJ L 256, 1.10.2005, p. 63) |
|
| European Union Agency for Railways | ERA | Lille-Valenciennes | OJ L 138, 26.5.2016, p. 1 (OJ L 164, 30.4.2004, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators | ACER (*) | Ljubljana | OJ L 158, 14.6.2019, p. 22 (OJ L 211, 14.8.2009, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice | eu-LISA (*) | Tallinn | OJ
L 295, 21.11.2018, p. 99 (OJ L 286, 1.11.2011, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Agency for the Space Programme | EUSPA | Prague | OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, p. 69 | |
| European Union Aviation Safety Agency | EASA | Cologne | OJ L 212, 22.8.2018, p. 1 (OJ L 240, 7.9.2002, p. 1) |
|
| European Union Intellectual Property Office | EUIPO | Alicante | OJ L 154, 16.6.2017, p. 1 (OJ L 11, 14.1.1994, p. 1) |
|
| Single Resolution Board | SRB | Brussels | OJ L 225, 30.7.2014, p. 1 | |
| Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union | CdT (*) | Luxembourg | OJ L 314, 7.12.1994, p. 1 | Written form amended |
| Adopted modification(s) | ||||
| European Union Drugs Agency | EUDA (*) | Lisbon | OJ L 166, 30.6.2023, p. 6 | Entry into force: 1.7.2023 EMCDDA replaced by EUDA: 2.7.2024 |
| Under preparation Several procedures that are either planned or underway may lead to the modification of the name of one or more agencies. |
||||
| Community Plant Variety Office Proposal: European Agency on Plant Varieties |
CPVO Proposal: EAPV |
Procedure: COM(2013) 262 — 2013/0137 (COD) to be monitored (the EP asked the Commission to withdraw its proposal and submit a new one) |
||
| At planning stage (new agencies) | ||||
| Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism | AMLA | Procedure: COM(2021) 421 – 2021/240 (COD) | ||
(a)
The reference act is in principle the founding act. If the latter has been ‘recast’ or a ‘codification’ of it has been made, or if it has been repealed and replaced by a new act, this modified act becomes the new reference act (the original founding act is then indicated in brackets as a reminder).
(b)
The different types of modification are as follows. —
‘Corrigendum’, ‘amending act’ (or other): modifications to the basic act with regard to the name, the abbreviation or the seat.
—
‘Written form amended’: for the body in question, the written form used in the basic regulation has been amended in order to conform to the conventions of interinstitutional writing, in particular the rules relating to upper and lower case (with the agreement of the lawyer-linguists of the Council, no corrigendum is necessary). (*)
Same abbreviation in all languages.
NB:
See also Decision 2004/97/EC, Euratom of 13 December
2003 on the location of certain offices and agencies of the European Union
(OJ
L 29, 3.2.2004, p. 15). |
||||
Common foreign and security policy
| Name | Abbreviation | Seat | Reference act (founding act) (a) |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Defence Agency | EDA | Brussels | OJ
L 266, 13.10.2015, p. 55 (OJ L 245, 17.7.2004, p. 17) |
| European Union Institute for Security Studies | EUISS | Paris | OJ
L 41, 12.2.2014, p. 13 (OJ L 200, 25.7.2001, p. 1) |
| European Union Satellite Centre | Satcen | Torrejón de Ardoz | OJ
L 188, 27.6.2014, p. 73 (OJ L 200, 25.7.2001, p. 5) |
9.5.4. Executive agencies
These agencies are legal entities established in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 (OJ L 11, 16.1.2003) with a view to being entrusted with certain tasks relating to the management of one or more European Union programmes. These agencies are set up for a fixed period.
| Name | Abbreviation | Seat | Reference act (+ corrigendum or amending act) |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency | CINEA (*) | Brussels | OJ L 50, 15.2.2021, p. 9 |
| European Education and Culture Executive Agency | EACEA (*) | Brussels | OJ L 50, 15.2.2021, p. 9 |
| European Health and Digital Executive Agency | HADEA (*) | Brussels | OJ L 50, 15.2.2021, p. 9 |
| European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency | Eismea (*) | Brussels | OJ L 50, 15.2.2021, p. 9 |
| European Research Council Executive Agency | ERCEA (*) | Brussels | OJ L 50, 15.2.2021, p. 9 |
| European Research Executive Agency | REA (*) | Brussels | OJ L 50, 15.2.2021, p. 9 |
(*)
Same abbreviation in all languages. |
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9.5.5. Euratom agencies and bodies
These agencies or bodies have been created to support the aims of the European Atomic Energy Community Treaty (Euratom).
| Name | Abbreviation | Seat | Reference act |
|---|---|---|---|
| Euratom Supply Agency | — | Luxembourg | OJ L 41, 15.2.2008, p. 15 |
| Fusion for Energy Joint Undertaking (1) | F4E (*) | Barcelona | OJ L 90, 30.3.2007, p. 58 |
