The agencies differ from the institutions and other bodies of the European Union in that they have not been established by the EU Treaties, but by specific legal acts. Their designations vary: Centre, Foundation, Office, Authority, etc.
There are currently 19 Community agencies which have specific technical, scientific or administrative tasks under the first pillar of the EU Treaty. Three agencies operate under the second pillar and three under the third pillar.
Agencies of the first pillar: Community agencies |
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CedefopEuropean Centre for the Development of Vocational Training |
The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training based in Thessaloniki, Greece, was set up in 1975. It is the European Union's reference centre for vocational education and training and supports vocational training professionals in the development and improvement of vocational training measures throughout Europe. |
EUROFOUNDEuropean Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions |
The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions based in Dublin, Ireland, was set up in 1975. It analyses living and working conditions and issues guidelines and recommendations for social policy decision-makers. |
EEAEuropean Environment Agency |
The European Environment Agency based in Copenhagen, Denmark, began work in 1994. Its task is to provide information on the state of Europe's environment. It is also open to non-EU countries with similar aims. |
ETFThe European Training Foundation |
The European Training Foundation based in Turin, Italy, was set up in 1990. It supports vocational training reform in the partner countries and translates EU policy into practical training and labour market instruments for non-EU countries. |
EMCDDAThe European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction |
The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction based in Lisbon, Portugal, began work in 1995. Its task is to collect and disseminate "objective, reliable and comparable information" on drugs and drug addiction in Europe. |
EMEAEuropean Medicines Agency |
The European Medicines Agency based in London, UK, was set up in 1993. Its main responsibility is the protection of human and animal health; it endeavours to ensure optimum evaluation and supervision of medicines in Europe. |
OHIMOffice for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) |
The Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market based in Alicante, Spain, was set up in 1993. It administers Community trade marks and designs, which guarantee their owners uniform legal protection applicable in all Member States of the European Union. |
EU-OSHAEuropean Agency for Safety and Health at Work |
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work based in Bilbao, Spain, was set up in 1994. It acts as a catalyst for developing, collecting, analysing and disseminating information that is intended to make workplaces in Europe safer, healthier and more productive. |
CPVOCommunity Plant Variety Office |
The Community Plant Variety Office based in Angers, France, began work in 1995. It grants industrial property rights for plant varieties that apply throughout the Community. |
CdTTranslation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union |
The Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union based in Luxembourg was set up in 1994. It meets the translation needs of the other decentralised Community agencies. |
EUMCEuropean Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia |
The European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia based in Vienna, Austria, began work in 1998. Its main task is to provide information and data on racism, xenophobia, islamophobia and anti-semitism at the European level, to analyse their causes and to formulate counter-strategies. |
EAREuropean Agency for Reconstruction |
The European Agency for Reconstruction based in Thessaloniki, Greece, was set up in 2000. It is responsible for managing the main EU assistance programmes in Serbia and Montenegro (Republic of Serbia, Republic of Montenegro, UN-administered Kosovo) and in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. |
EFSAEuropean Food Safety Authority |
The European Food Safety Authority based in Parma, Italy, began work in 2002. It provides independent scientific advice and clear communication on existing and emerging risks in the field of food and feed safety. |
EMSAEuropean Maritime Safety Agency |
The European Maritime Safety Agency based in Brussels, Belgium (from 2005 in Lisbon, Portugal) began work in 2003. It provides technical and scientific advice to the Commission in the field of maritime safety and prevention of pollution by ships and provides support in developing new legislation. |
EASAEuropean Aviation Safety Agency |
The European Aviation Safety Agency based in Cologne, Germany, began work in 2003. Its task is to create uniform safety standards for the safety of aviation. |
ENISAEuropean Network and Information Security Agency |
The European Network and Information Security Agency is currently based in Brussels (in future Heraklion, Greece) and was set up in 2004. Its task is to support and advise the Commission and Member States in matters of information security. |
ECDCEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Control |
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control based in Solna, Sweden, was set up in 2005. Its task is to coordinate action to monitor and combat epidemics at European level. |
ERAEuropean Railway Agency |
The task of the recently established European Railway Agency is to reinforce railway safety and interoperability throughout Europe. It has two offices in France: operational headquarters in Valenciennes and an international conference and meeting centre in Lille. |
AMOCEBEuropean Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union |
The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union based in Warsaw, Poland, was set up in 2004. Its task is to coordinate the Member States' operational management of the Union's external borders. To this end, it provides assistance in training border guards, conducts risk analyses, monitors the relevant research and, if necessary, assists Member States in circumstances requiring increased technical and operational assistance at external borders. |
Agencies of the second pillar: Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) |
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EUISSEuropean Union Institute for Security Studies |
The European Union Institute for Security Studies based in Paris, France, was set up in 2002. Its aim is to promote the EU's security interests. It contributes to the CFSP through research and debate on security and defence issues, forward-looking analysis for the Council and High Representative of the EU, and the development of a transatlantic dialogue on all security issues with the countries of Europe, the United States and Canada. |
EUSCEuropean Union Satellite Centre |
The European Union Satellite Centre based in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, was set up in 2002. The Centre analyses information from satellite imagery in support of Union decision-making in the field of the CFSP. It thereby strengthens both the CFSP and the European Security and Defence Policy, particularly with regard to crisis monitoring and conflict prevention. The Centre also conducts research and development projects. |
EDAEuropean Defence Agency |
The European Defence Agency based in Brussels, Belgium, was set up in 2004. Its task is to improve defence and crisis-management capabilities under the European Security and Defence Policy. |
Agencies of the third pillar: Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters |
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EuropolEuropean Police Office |
Europol, the European Police Office, based in The Hague, Netherlands, was set up in 1992. Its task is to collect, store, compare, analyse, evaluate and exchange data on criminal matters. Europol also has the task of facilitating effective, close cooperation between the Member States in preventing and fighting international organised crime. |
EurojustEuropean Union's Judicial cooperation Unit |
Eurojust, the European Union's Judicial cooperation Unit, based in The Hague, Netherlands, was set up in 2002. It assists the competent authorities within Member States with the investigation and prosecution of serious cross-border and organised crime. Particular emphasis is placed on improving the competent authorities' coordination of cooperation. |
CepolEuropean Police College |
The European Police College based in Bramshill, UK, was set up in 2000. It organises training for police officers to provide information on different police systems and cross-border police work. Its aim is to support the national police forces, particularly in the fight against cross-border crime. |
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