Order of precedence in the European Union

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 and bodies

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Institutions

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Order Title
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

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Order Title
1 European External Action Service

Consultative bodies

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Order Title
1 European Economic and Social Committee
2 European Committee of the Regions

Other bodies

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

Dignitaries

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Order Position[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

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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.[4]

Order Position[3]
1 President of the European Council
2 The Commission
3 The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Administrative structure of the European Union: official titles and listing order". Interinstitutional Style Guide. publications.europa.eu. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Sofa, so bad: Turkish seating snafu hits von der Leyen, Michel". Politico Europe. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Handbook of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union" (PDF). Council of the European Union. 2018. pp. 63–65. Retrieved 14 April 2021. Text was copied from this source, which is © European Union, 1995-2020. Reuse is authorised, provided the source is acknowledged.
  4. ^ "Von der Leyen sollte zunächst nicht mit aufs Foto" (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. 8 April 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2021.