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The European Environment Agency is governed by a Management Board and Bureau whose members are mandated to act in the public interest. The day-to-day operation of the EEA is the responsibility of the Executive Director and the Senior Management Team. Scientific advice is provided by a Scientific Committee.

Management Board and Bureau

1Management Board2Bureau

The Management Board is the main decision-making body of the EEA. It plays a key role in overseeing the effective and efficient functioning of the Agency, and ensures that the Agency fulfils its mission and mandate in line with its founding Regulation. The Board is responsible for appointing the main bodies of the Agency, including the Executive Director and Scientific Committee members, and for budgetary and planning affairs, including the adoption of the Agency’s Strategy and its multi-annual work programme, and budget.

The EEA Management Board consists of:

  • one representative from each member country;
  • two representatives of the European Commission;
  • two scientific experts designated by the European Parliament.
List of Management Board members

The Bureau provides recommendations to the Management Board ahead of their meetings to facilitate decision-making. The Bureau also takes executive decisions to ensure effective EEA operations, thus enabling the Management Board to focus on strategic matters.

The EEA Bureau consists of:

  • the chairperson;
  • up to five vice-chairpersons;
  • one European Commission representative;
  • one member designated by the European Parliament.
List of Bureau members

The official Management Board and Bureau-related documents (e.g. decision lists, and rules and procedures) are available in the register of public documents. The list of members, including their CVs and declarations of interest, are also available under these pages: Management Board - Bureau.

Our Executive Director

The EEA’s Executive Director, Leena Ylä-Mononen, took up post on 1 June 2023. As Executive Director, she is responsible for all operational matters and staffing issues. In cooperation with the EEA Management Board, she ensures delivery of the vision outlined in our Strategy and Single Programming Documents.

Ms Leena Ylä-Mononen, a Finnish national, has worked with  national, European, and international environmental policy and administration for over 30 years. 

More about our Executive Director
Leena Ylä-Mononen, Executive Director of the European Environment Agency
EEA

Operational management

The day-to-day management of the EEA is the responsibility of Senior Management Team (SMT), composed of the Executive Director and Heads of Programmes.

More about Senior Management Team
EEA organisational chart

Scientific Committee

The Scientific Committee has three main tasks:

  • To deliver an opinion on the EEA multiannual and annual work-programmes;
  • To give an opinion to the Executive Director for the purposes of recruitment of the Agency's scientific staff;
  • To provide advice and/or opinion on any scientific matter concerning the Agency's activity, which the Management Board or the Executive Director may submit to it.

The Committee is composed of independent scientists from the EEA member countries, covering a variety of environmental fields relevant for the Agency's areas of activity. The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Committee are elected from amongst its members. The total number of members in the Scientific Committee shall not exceed 20 experts. The members are identified through an open selection process and appointed for a four-year term, renewable once.

Scientific Committee members are required to sign a declaration of commitment and a declaration on conflicts of interest on a yearly basis. Declarations of commitment and on conflict of interests are published online in the register of public documents and the scientific committee members page.

List of Scientific Committee members

More information