2020 will be remembered as the year that drastically changed the way we live, work and interact with each other. EU Agencies and Joint Undertakings are charged with the implementation of key EU policies for citizens and companies. As such, they played a pivotal role in the EU response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in close cooperation with the European Commission, Member States and their institutions.
The key lesson learned from the past months is that we are stronger together. The new EUAN Strategy 2021-2027 builds on the ‘acquis’ and integrates the EU recovery priorities (greening, digitalisation and resilience) to position the EUAN as a role model for administrative excellence.
Employing staff from all Member States and present in nearly every capital city, the Agencies break down political, cultural, technical and regulatory barriers to bring Europe closer to citizens. See how the EU Agencies contribute to the lives of everyone in Europe in this new clip from the EU Agencies Network.
On the occasion of Europe Day, the EU Agencies Network released a video that demonstrates the vital role the Agencies play in ensuring the safety and well-being of citizens. The video reflects on people’s lives from birth through to old age, and shows how the EU Agencies contribute positively to citizens’ lives by collecting and analysing data needed for targeted policies at EU and national level, safeguarding our borders and fighting organized crime, and at the same time creating the innovation needed to keep the EU at the cutting edge of global competition. Europe Day is held on 9 May every year to celebrate peace and unity in Europe.
To continue the celebrations of Europe Day and the anniversary of the Rome treaties, we are happy to share a new video about the impact of European integration.
EU Agencies Forum
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.
EU Agencies Forum Agenda Welcome Speech Press Release EU Agencies Forum Biographies
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.
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