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.
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".
Institutions and bodies
Institutions
Order Title 1 European Parliament2 European Council3 Council of the European Union4 European Commission5 Court of Justice of the European Union6 European Central Bank7 European Court of Auditors
External policy body
Order Title 1 European External Action Service
Consultative bodies
Order Title 1 European Economic and Social Committee2 European Committee of the Regions
Other bodies
Order Title 1 European Investment Bank2 European Ombudsman3 European Data Protection Supervisor4 European Data Protection Board
Dignitaries
Order Position Text was copied from this source, which is © European Union, 1995-2020. Reuse is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged. 1 President of the European Parliament2 President of the European Council3 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 Commission4 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 Justice6 President of the European Central Bank7 President of the European Court of Auditors8 High Representative (acting in that capacity)9 Ministers acting as members of the Council10 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament and Vice-Presidents of the European Commission11 President of the European Economic and Social Committee12 President of the European Committee of the Regions13 President of the European Investment Bank14 Vice-Presidents of the European Central Bank15 European Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament16 Judges and advocates-general of the Court of Justice17 President of the General Court18 European Ombudsman19 Members of the Board of Directors of the European Central Bank20 Members of the European Court of Auditors21 Permanent representatives22 Vice-Presidents of the European Economic and Social Committee23 Vice-Presidents of the European Committee of the Regions24 Vice-Presidents of the European Investment Bank25 Members of the General Court26 European Data Protection Supervisor27 Members of the European Economic and Social Committee28 Members of the European Committee of the Regions29 Registrar of the Court of Justice, secretaries-general and registrars of the institutions, bodies and services30 Assistant European Data Protection Supervisor31 Directors-general of the European institutions, bodies and services32 Directors of the European institutions, bodies and services
External representation The protocol for third countries assigns head of state status to the president of the council and head of government status to the president of the commission.
Order Position 1 President of the European Council2 The Commission3 The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
See also Sofagate
References