European Environment Agency

European Environment Agency (EEA), agency of the European Union devoted to establishing a monitoring network for the monitoring of the European environment. It is governed by a Management Board composed of representatives of the governments of member states, a European Commission representative and two scientists appointed by the European Parliament, assisted by a committee of scientists.

Its member states are the member states of the European Union; however the Council Regulation establishing it provided that other states may become members of it by means of agreements concluded between them and the European Community. The members of the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) have concluded such agreements and are members. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Malta, Slovenia and Slovakia concluded such agreements and joined the EEA on August 1, 2001; the other candidate countries are in the process of ratifying agreements to enable them to join as well.