Decentralised EU agencies play an important role in the European Union (EU). They help make Europe more competitive and a better place to live and work, thus serving the interests of EU residents as a whole.

What are the decentralised agencies?

These agencies have been set up by the EU to perform technical and scientific tasks that help the EU institutions implement policies and take decisions. They are spread across the EU.

What do they do?

They work on issues and problems affecting the everyday lives of the 500m people living in the EU. They have a major impact, providing EU institutions and countries with specialised knowledge in areas as diverse as:

• the food we eat
• our medicines
• the chemicals we come into contact with
• our education
• the quality of our working lives & environment
• justice
• transport safety
• security
• our fundamental rights
• knowledge
• provide services to members of the public and industry.