# European Union agencies

- Link: https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-union-agencies/
- Published: 2024-02-24T19:44:52+01:00
- Author: Ben

**The ‘agencies’ are specialized EU institutions that address a well-defined issue
in a particular legal or policy field**, but they are not “policy makers” as this
function exclusively rests with the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/).

There are several typologies of EU agencies. “Up-stream” and “downstream” agencies.
The first deal with research and other knowledge production activities. The latter–
with implementation of EU legislation and policies that are set by the EU Council,
the [European Parliament](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-parliament/)
and the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/).
Agencies are also categorized based on their legal status in EU law: decentralized
agencies; executive agencies (also known as “sunset agencies” as they are disbanded
after a particular aim is achieved); Euratom agencies (dealing with nuclear energy-
related issues); independent bodies.

The term ‘decentralised bodies’ of the European Union means that EU agencies have
to follow most administrative rules applicable to EU institutions, however, they
are not directly supervised by the [European Commission](https://euemployment.eu/glossary/european-commission/)
but by Management Boards where EU Member States representatives have a majority.
As of 2024 there are over 40 EU agencies.

[Links to vacancy pages of all EU agencies](https://euemployment.eu/job-opportunities-in-eu-agencies/#Recruitment-websites)

[Official list of all EU agencies and similar bodies](https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/institutions-and-bodies/institutions-and-bodies-profiles_en)