EU Agencies Forum

AGENDA WELCOME SPEECH PRESS RELEASE BIOGRAPHIES

From 6-7 December 2016, policy makers, representatives of industry, civil society, EU institutions and public administration gathered at the European Parliament for a major conference dedicated to the work and contribution of the 45 EU Agencies and Joint Undertakings.

High level speakers at the Agencies Forum included Vice-President of the European Parliament Mairead McGuinness, Vice-President of the European Commission Kristalina Georgieva and former President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy.

Delegates agreed that the EU Agencies and Joint Undertakings are crucial to the implementation and success of all areas of EU policy. In addition, the economies of scale and savings generated for EU taxpayers by EU Agencies and Joint Undertakings were also highlighted, as it is more effective to perform a task once at EU level rather than repeating it 28 times at Member State level.

Two studies were presented at the Forum. One, commissioned by the European Parliament, looked at the cost would be to citizens and national administrations without seven EU agencies supporting the Single Market. The second study mapped the contribution of EU Agencies to the Europe 2020 Strategy and the Junker Commission Agenda.

In their discussions, delegates agreed that EU Agencies and Joint Undertakings fill important gaps in the EU framework, and were created to resolve and prevent crises. The EU Agencies and Joint Undertakings are well known in their policy areas but, according to delegates, they can lack overall visibility toward EU citizens and other key players at the national level; something that attendees urged the Agencies Forum to work to overcome.

The Forum was organised by the EU Agencies Network, set up by the Heads of EU Agencies as a collective voice for the Agencies to coordinate, exchange information and agree common positions of shared interest.

Watch the highlights of the EU Agencies Forum here.

Hashtags of the event:
 #EUAgenciesForum -  #EUAgencies

Recording of the event

6 December
Welcome and introduction, Keynote speeches Presentations of studies on EU Agencies and panel discussion on the results
 

Afternoon panel sessions I.
Panel session: Boosting Jobs, Growth and Investment Panel session: Innovative Europe

Afternoon panel sessions II.
Panel session: Citizens First! Panel session: Justice and Home Affairs

7 December
Summary of panel sessions EU Agencies – Way forward