Main Institutions:
European Parliament
The one pleace we actually have influence as citizens of the EU
Council of the European Union
This is were ministers meet to discuss issues and make discissions on Commission proposals. Presidency Website
European Commission
Where all the decisions, directives and regulations originate.
Court of Justice of the European Communities
This is where the commission bring cases against member states and companies for breaking rules.
European Court of Auditors
The EU's auditors
The European Ombudsman
Where to go with an administrative complaint
European Data Protection Supervisor
Makes sure your Data is kept private in the EU
Financial bodies:
European Central Bank
Decides Interest rates for the Eurozone among other things.
European Investment Bank
The EU's bankers. It has a connection to the European Investment Fund
Advisory bodies:
European Economic and Social Committee
Links civil and economic groups tp the EU. There are 9 Irish Members
Committee of the Regions
Linking European Regional Government to the EU. There are 9 Irish Councillors who are memebers and 9 alternates
Interinstitutional bodies:
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
The EU's Printing press, its in charge of the bookshop, EUR-Lex, TED and CORDIS
European Personnel Selection Office
Want a job in the EU. Check here
European Administrative School
The EU's Training centre
Decentralised bodies of the European Union (agencies):
Community agencies
A Community agency is a body governed by European public law; it is distinct from the Community Institutions (Council, Parliament, Commission, etc.) and has its own legal personality. It is set up by an act of secondary legislation in order to accomplish a very specific technical, scientific or managerial task, in the framework of the European Union’s “first pillar”.
Most of these do exactly what they say on tin.
*Community Fisheries Control Agency (CFCA). Based in Brussels (belgium)
*Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO). Based in Angers (France)
*European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR). Based in Thessaloniki . (Greece)
*European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). Based in Bilbao (Spain)
*European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders (FRONTEX). Based in Warsaw (Poland)
*European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Based in Köln (Germany)
*European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). Based in Stockholm (Sweden)
*European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop). They also have an interactive website. Based in Thessaloniki (Greece)
*European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Based in Helsinki (Finland)
*European Environment Agency (EEA). Based in Copenhagen (Denmark)
*European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Based in Parma (Italy)
*European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (EUROFOUND). Based in Dublin (Ireland)
*European Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) - previously EUMC. Based in Vienna (Asutria)
*European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA). GNSS stands for 'Global Navigation Satellite Systems'. Based in Brussels (Belgium)
*European Institute for Gender Equality (under preparation)
*European Joint Undertaking for ITER and the Development of Fusion Energy (Fusion for Energy). ITER stands for 'International Fusion Energy Project'. Based in Barcelona (Spain)
*European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). Based in Lisbon (Portugal)
*European Medicines Agency (EMEA). Based in London (UK)
*European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Based in Lisbon (Portugal)
*European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA). Based in Heraklion (Greece)
*European Railway Agency (ERA). Based in Valenciennes (France)
*European Training Foundation (ETF). Based in Torino (Italy)
*Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Designs) (OHIM). Based in Alicante (Spain)
*Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union (CdT). Based in Luxembourg (Luxembourg) There is a quiz onlanguages when you visit the site
Common Foreign and Security Policy agencies
Agencies have been set up to carry out very specific technical, scientific and management tasks within the framework of European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) – the "second pillar" of the EU.
*European Defence Agency (EDA). Based in Brussels (Belgium)
*European Union Institute for Security Studies (ISS). Based in Paris (France)
*European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC). Based in Madrid (Spain)
Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters agencies
Another group of agencies has been set up to help the EU Member States co-operate in the fight against organised international crime. This co-operation in criminal matters is the "third pillar" of the EU
*European Police College (CEPOL). Based in Hook (UK)
*European Police Office (EUROPOL). Based in The Hague (The Netherlands)
*The European Union’s Judicial Cooperation Unit (EUROJUST). Based in The Hague (The Netherlands)
Executive agencies
Executive agencies are organisations established in accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 58/2003 (OJ L 11, 16.1.2003) (PDF) with a view to being entrusted with certain tasks relating to the management of one or more Community programmes. These agencies are set up for a fixed period. Their location has to be at the seat of the European Commission (Brussels or Luxembourg).
*Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) (Brussels)
*European Research Council Executive Agency (ERC) (under preparation)
*Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) (Brussels)
*Executive Agency for the Public Health Programme (PHEA) (Luxembourg)
*Research Executive Agency (REA) (Brussels)
*Trans-European Transport Network Executive Agency (TEN-TEA) (under preparation)
There thats it. Enjoy
