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.