Order of precedence in the European Union

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The order of precedence of the European Union is the protocol hierarchy in which its offices and dignitaries are listed according to their rank in the European Union. Article 13 of the Treaty on European Union (Treaty of Lisbon), entered into force on 1 December 2009, sets the EU's current order of precedence among the EU institutions and bodies. The EU administrative structure further has interinstitutional services, decentralised organisations (agencies), executive agencies, Euratom agencies and bodies, and other EU organisations not included in the order of precedence.[1]

The European Parliament is formally at the top of protocol, followed by the European Council, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission. However, some see the president of the commission as "the closest thing the EU has to a head of government".[2]

Institutions

OrderTitle
1 European Parliament
2 European Council
3 Council of the European Union
4 European Commission
5 Court of Justice of the European Union
6 European Central Bank
7 European Court of Auditors

External policy body

OrderTitle
1 European External Action Service

Consultative bodies

OrderTitle
1 European Economic and Social Committee
2 European Committee of the Regions

Other bodies

OrderTitle
1 European Investment Bank
2 European Ombudsman
3 European Data Protection Supervisor
4 European Data Protection Board

Dignitaries

OrderPosition[3]
1 President of the European Parliament
2 President of the European Council
3 Members of the European Council, including the President of the European Commission. Among the members of the European Council the order of precedence is the following:
  • head of state or government of the rotating Presidency
  • other heads of state according to the order of Presidencies
  • other heads of government according to the order of Presidencies, as well as the President of the Commission
4 Presidents of the Council of the European Union acting in that capacity (rotating Presidency as well as the High Representative)
5 President of the Court of Justice
6 President of the European Central Bank
7 President of the European Court of Auditors
8 High Representative (acting in that capacity)
9 Ministers acting as members of the Council
10 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament and Vice-Presidents of the European Commission
11 President of the European Economic and Social Committee
12 President of the European Committee of the Regions
13 President of the European Investment Bank
14 Vice-Presidents of the European Central Bank
15 European Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament
16 Judges and advocates-general of the Court of Justice
17 President of the General Court
18 European Ombudsman
19 Members of the Board of Directors of the European Central Bank
20 Members of the European Court of Auditors
21 Permanent representatives
22 Vice-Presidents of the European Economic and Social Committee
23 Vice-Presidents of the European Committee of the Regions
24 Vice-Presidents of the European Investment Bank
25 Members of the General Court
26 European Data Protection Supervisor
27 Members of the European Economic and Social Committee
28 Members of the European Committee of the Regions
29 Registrar of the Court of Justice, secretaries-general and registrars of the institutions, bodies and services
30 Assistant European Data Protection Supervisor
31 Directors-general of the European institutions, bodies and services
32 Directors of the European institutions, bodies and services

External representation

See also

References

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