Annex A4 – Main acronyms and initialisms

A

ACE

action for cooperation in the field of economics

ACER

European Union Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators

ACP

African, Caribbean and Pacific States party to the Lomé Convention

AEC

Atomic Energy Commission (United States)

AETR

European Agreement concerning the Work of Crews of Vehicles engaged in International Road Transport

AG

DE: Aktiengesellschaft

AID

(see USAID)

AIDS

acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Altener

programme for the promotion of renewable energy sources

ANC

African National Congress

APEC

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

ASBL

FR: association sans but lucratif

ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange

ASEAN

Association of South-East Asian Nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar/Burma, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam)

ASEM

Asia-Europe Meeting

ASOR

Agreement on the international carriage of passengers by road by means of occasional coach and bus services

AU

African Union (replaced the OAU; see http://www.africa-union.org/)

B

BCC

Business Cooperation Centre

BC-NET

business cooperation network

Benelux

Economic Union of Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands

BEREC

Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications

BEUC

European Bureau of Consumers’ Unions

BIC

1. Business and innovation centre
2. EU measure for the creation and development of business and innovation centres and their network

BLEU

Belgo-Luxembourg Economic Union

BSE

bovine spongiform encephalopathy

C

CAA

Civil Aviation Authority

CAD

computer-aided design

CAP

common agricultural policy

CARE

database on road accidents

CBSS

Council of the Baltic Sea States

CCAMLR

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources

CCC

1. Customs Co-operation Council
2. Consumers’ Consultative Council

CCCN

Customs Co-operation Council Nomenclature

CCITT

Consultative Committee on Innovation and Technology Transfer

CCT

Common Customs Tariff

CD-ROM

compact disc read-only memory

CE

as in ‘CE marking’: European Community conformity marking

CECA

FR: Communauté européenne du charbon et de l’acier (in EN: ECSC)

CECAF

Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic

Cedefop

European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training
(FR: Centre européen pour le développement de la formation professionnelle)

Cedex (*)

courrier d’entreprise à distribution exceptionnelle (in FR addresses)

CEECs

central and east(ern) European countries

CEIES

Advisory Committee on Statistical Information in the Economic and Social Spheres
(FR: Comité consultatif européen de l’information statistique dans les domaines économique et social)

CELEX

interinstitutional computerised documentation system for Community law (Communitatis Europaeae Lex) (replaced by EUR-Lex)

CEN

European Committee for Standardisation
(FR: Comité européen de normalisation)

CENELEC (*)

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation
(FR: Comité européen de normalisation électrotechnique)

CEPOL

European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training
(until 30.6.2016: ‘European Police College’)

CEPT

European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations
(FR: Conférence européenne des administrations des postes et des télécommunications)

CERD

European Research and Development Committee
(FR: Comité européen de la recherche et du développement)

CERN

European Organisation for Nuclear Research
(FR: Organisation européenne pour la recherche nucléaire)

CESE

Comité économique et social européen (EN: EESC)

CFCA

(see EFCA)

CFCs

chlorofluorocarbons

CFP

common fisheries policy

CFPE

Community financing projects for the environment

CFSP

common foreign and security policy

CIF

cost, insurance and freight
(Incoterms 2010)

CIREA

Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum
(within the General Secretariat of the Council)

CIS

Commonwealth of Independent States (see Annex A3)

CITES

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

CJEU

Court of Justice of the European Union

CLRAE

Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe

CMEA

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (Comecon)

CN

Combined Nomenclature

cobol (*)

common business-oriented language

Codest

Committee for the European Development of Science and Technology
(FR: Comité de développement européen de la science et de la technologie)

COGECA (*)

General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives in the European Union
(formerly ‘General Committee for Agricultural Cooperation in the EC’)

Comecon

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance

Comedi

commerce electronic data interchange

Comext

database of external trade statistics

COPA

Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations

COPEC

Joint Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men
(FR: comité paritaire de l’égalité des chances)

CoR (*)

European Committee of the Regions

CORDIS (*)

Community Research and Development Information Service

Coreper

Permanent Representatives Committee

Corine

coordination of information on the environment in Europe

COSME

programme for the competitiveness of enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises

COST

European cooperation in science and technology (old name: European cooperation in the field of scientific and technical research)

COVID-19

coronavirus disease 2019

CPVO

Community Plant Variety Office

CREST

Scientific and Technical Research Committee
(FR: comité de la recherche scientifique et technique)

Cronos

database of macroeconomic time series (Eurostat)

CSCE

Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (now OSCE)

CSDP

common security and defence policy

CSF

Community support framework

CST

Scientific and Technical Committee (Euratom)

CTS

conformance testing services

D

DECT

digital European cordless telecommunications

DG

directorate-general (see also Section 9.6 ‘Commission directorates-general and services: official titles’)

DIANE

direct information access network for Europe

DIN

DE: Deutsche Industrie Norm

DRAM

dynamic random access memory

DTP

desktop publishing

E

EAC

European Association for Cooperation

EAEC

European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom)

EAFRD

European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development

EAGF

European Agricultural Guarantee Fund

EAGGF

European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund

EAR

European Agency for Reconstruction (end of mandate: 31.12.2008)

EAS

European Administrative School (now EUSA)

EASA

European Union Aviation Safety Agency

EASO

European Asylum Support Office (replaced by the European Union Agency for Asylum – EUAA)

EBA

European Banking Authority

EBRD

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

EC

European Community/Communities (ceased on 1 December 2009 - date of entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon)

ECA

1. European Court of Auditors
2. do not use for European Chemicals Agency; see ECHA

ECB

European Central Bank

ECDC

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
(same abbreviation in all languages; do not use ECDPC)

ECDIN

Environmental chemicals data and information network

ECHA

European Chemicals Agency

ECIP

EC International Investment Partners

ECHO

1. Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) (see also Section 9.6 ‘Commission directorates-general and services: official titles’)
2. European Commission host organisation (former Commission database server)

ECOS

European city cooperation system

ECOSOC (*)

Economic and Social Council (UN)

ECSC

European Coal and Steel Community (ceased on 24 July 2002 - date of expiration of the ECSC Treaty)

ECU

European currency unit (used as a monetary symbol, lower case when used as a word); replaced by the euro on 1 January 1999 (see also Section 7.3.1)

ΕDA

European Defence Agency

EDF

European Development Fund (Objective 1, Objective 5a, etc.)

EDI

electronic data interchange

Edifact

electronic data interchange for administration, commerce and transport

EDPS

European Data Protection Supervisor

EEA

1. European Economic Area
2. European Environment Agency

EEAS

European External Action Service

EEC

European Economic Community (see EC)

EEIG

European Economic Interest Grouping

EESC

European Economic and Social Committee

EFCA

European Fisheries Control Agency
(until 31.12.2012: ‘Community Fisheries Control Agency’ (CFCA))

EFICS

European forestry information and communication system

EFSA

European Food Safety Authority

EFTA

European Free Trade Association (Stockholm Convention)

EGF

European Globalisation Adjustment Fund

Ehlass

European home and leisure accident surveillance system

EIB

European Investment Bank

EICs

Euro Info Centres

EIF

European Investment Fund

EIN

European informatics network

Einecs

European inventory of existing commercial chemical substances

EIOPA

European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority

ELA

European Labour Authority

EMA

European Medicines Agency (formerly ‘European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products’, EMEA)

EMCDDA

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction

EMEA

(see EMA)

EMI

European Monetary Institute

EMS

European Monetary System

EMSA

European Maritime Safety Agency

EMU

economic and monetary union (Stage I, Stage II, etc.)

ENEA

European Nuclear Energy Agency

ENEL

IT: Ente nazionale energia elettrica

ENIAC

European Nanoelectronics Initiative Advisory Council

ENISA

European Union Agency for Cybersecurity

Envireg

regional action programme on the initiative of the Commission concerning the environment

EOTC

European Organisation for Testing and Certification

EP

European Parliament

EPA

Environment Protection Agency

EPO

1. European Patent Office
2. European Patent Organisation

EPOS

1. electronic point-of-sale
2. European pool of studies (and analyses)

EPSC

European Political Strategy Centre (see also Section 9.6 ‘Commission directorates-general and services: official titles’)

EPSO

European Personnel Selection Office

ERA

European Railway Agency (replaced by the European Union Agency for Railways on 15.6.2016)

Erasmus

action scheme for the mobility of university students

ERDF

European Regional Development Fund

ERICA

European Research Institute for Consumer Affairs

ERM

exchange rate mechanism

ERMES

European radio messaging system

ESA

1. European Space Agency
2. European system of integrated economic accounts
3. Euratom Supply Agency

ESAF

enhanced structural adjustment facility

ESC

Economic and Social Committee (now EESC)

ESCB

European System of Central Banks

ESF

European Social Fund

ESM

European Stability Mechanism (http://www.esm.europa.eu/)

ESMA

European Securities and Markets Authority

ETF

European Training Foundation

ETS

emissions trading system

ETSI

European Telecommunications Standards Institute

EU

European Union
in tables or graphs to denote a group of Member States use the form: EU-9, EU-12, EU-15, etc. (but avoid this form in running text)

EUA

European unit of account (replaced on 9 April 1979 by the ecu, which was in turn replaced by the euro on 1 January 1999)

EUAA

European Union Agency for Asylum (formerly the European Asylum Support Office – EASO)

EUI

European University Institute

EUIPO

European Union Intellectual Property Office (replaced OHIM)

EUISS

European Union Institute for Security Studies

eu-Lisa (*)

European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice

EUMC

European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia

EU-OSHA

European Agency for Safety and Health at Work

EUR

euro (see also Section 7.3.1)

Euratom

European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC)

Eureka

European Research Coordination Agency

EURES

European employment services

EUR-Lex

website providing access to EU law

Eurocontrol

European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation

Eurofound

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions

Eurolib

European library project

Euronet-DIANE

direct information access network for Europe

Europol

European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation

Eurostat

the statistical office of the European Union

Eurydice

information network on education in Europe (http://www.eurydice.org/)

EUSA

European School of Administration

EUSC

(see Satcen)

EVCA

European Venture Capital Association

EWOS

European workshop for open systems

F

FADN

farm accountancy data network

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization (UN)

FBR

fast breeder reactor

FEOGA

FR equivalent of EAGGF

FIDE

International Federation for European Law

FIFG

Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance

FOB

free on board
(Incoterms 2010)

FRA

European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights

Frontex

European Border and Coast Guard Agency
(until 5.10.2016: ‘European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union’)

G

G7

Group of Seven (leading industrialised nations: Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United kingdom, United States)

G24

Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-four on International Monetary Affairs

G77

Group of 77

GATS

General Agreement on Trade in Services

GATT

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

GCC

Gulf Cooperation Council

GCV

gross calorific value

GDP

gross domestic product

GFCM

General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean

GISCO

geographic information system for the Commission (Eurostat)

GmbH (*)

DE: Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung

GNP

gross national product

GRIPS

general relation-based information processing system

GSA

European GNSS Agency
(same abbreviation in all languages)

GSM

global system for mobile communications

GSP

generalised system of preferences

H

HCFCs

hydrochlorofluorocarbons

HDTV

high-definition television

HIV

human immunodeficiency virus

HS

Harmonised System

I

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency (UN)

IATA

International Air Transport Association

IBC

integrated broadband communications

IBRD

International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank) (UN)

IBSFC

International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission

ICAO

International Civil Aviation Organization

ICCAT

International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

ICJ

International Court of Justice

ICPs

interuniversity cooperation programmes

ICRC

International Committee of the Red Cross

IDA

multiannual programme to support the implementation of trans-European networks for the interchange of data between administrations

IDCP

International Dolphin Conservation Programme

IDST

FR: information et documentation scientifiques et techniques

IEA

International Energy Agency (OECD)

IEFR

International Emergency Food Reserve

IFC

International Finance Corporation (UN)

IFRC

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

IGC

Intergovernmental Conference

ILO

International Labour Organization

IMCO

Intergovernmental Maritime Consultative Organisation

IMF

International Monetary Fund (UN)

IMI

Innovative Medicines Initiative

IMO

International Maritime Organization

IMP

integrated Mediterranean programme

INFCE

international nuclear fuel cycle evaluation

Inmarsat

International Maritime Satellite Organisation

INTAS

International Association for the Promotion of Cooperation with Scientists from the new independent States of the former Soviet Union

Intelsat

International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation

Interprise

programme for the improvement of the business environment and the promotion of the development of enterprises, and in particular small and medium-sized enterprises

Interreg II

initiative concerning border development, cross-border cooperation and selected energy networks

Intrastat

statistical collection system

IOTC

Indian Ocean Tuna Commission

IRDAC

Industrial Research and Development Advisory Committee

IRIS

interrogation requirements information system

ISBN

international standard book number

ISDN

integrated services digital network

ISG

Interinstitutional Style Guide

ISIC

International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities

ISIS

integrated standards information system

ISO

International Organisation for Standardisation

ISSN

international standard serial number

IT

information technology

ITER

international thermonuclear experimental reactor

IUCN

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources

J

JET

Joint European Torus

JICS

Joint Interpreting and Conference Service (European Commission; replaced by the Directorate-General for Interpretation)

JOPP

joint venture Phare programme

JRC

Joint Research Centre

K

KBS

knowledge-based system

KC

King’s Counsel

L

LAN

local area network

LDC

least developed country

Leader

links between actions for the development of the rural economy

Leonardo da Vinci

action programme for the implementation of a vocational training policy

LIBOR

London interbank offered rate

Licross

League of Red Cross Societies

LIFE

financial instrument for the environment

LME

London Metal Exchange

LPG

liquefied petroleum gas

M

Matthaeus

exchange programme of customs officials

MCA

monetary compensatory amount

MEDIA

action programme to promote the development of the European audiovisual industry

MEP

Member of the European Parliament

Mercosur

Southern Cone Common Market (ES: Mercado Común del Sur)

MFN

most favoured nation

mips

millions of instructions per second (computing)

MISEP

mutual information system on employment policies

MSA

Multilateral Steel Agreement

N

NABS

nomenclature for the analysis and comparison of science budgets and programmes

NACE

general industrial classification of economic activities within the European Union

NAFO

North-West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation

NAFTA

North American Free Trade Agreement

NAMSA

NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency

NARIC

National Academic Recognition Information Centre

NASA

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US)

NASCO

North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

NCI

New Community Instrument

NEA

Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD)

NEAFC

North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission

NGO

non-governmental organisation

NIC

newly industrialised country

NIP

national indicative programme

NIS

new independent States (of the former Soviet Union)

NUTS

nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (Eurostat) (NUTS 1, 2, etc.)

O

OAPEC

Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS

Organisation of American States

OAU

Organization of African Unity (replaced by the AU)

OCAS

Organisation of Central American States

OCTs

overseas countries and territories

OD

overseas department

OECD

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

OHIM

Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (Trade Marks and Design) (replaced by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO))

OJ

Official Journal of the European Union (before 1 February 2003: Official Journal of the European Communities)

ONP

open network provision

OP

organophosphate

OPEC

Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries

OPET

Organisation for the Promotion of Energy Technologies

OSCE

Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (replaced the CSCE from 1 January 1995)

OSHA

(see EU-OSHA)

OSI

open systems interconnection

OT

overseas territory

OVIDE

videotex for Members of the European Parliament

P

PAO

FR: production/publication assistée par ordinateur

PC

personal computer

PDO

protected designation of origin

PGI

protected geographical indication

Phare (*)

programme of aid to central and east European countries

PhD (*)

Doctor of Philosophy

PINC

Community’s illustrative nuclear programme

plc (*)

public limited company

PLO

Palestine Liberation Organisation

PME

FR: petite et moyenne entreprise (see SME)

PPP

1. purchasing power parity
2. ‘polluter pays’ principle

PPS

purchasing power standard

PSTN

public switched telephone network

PTTI

Postal, Telegraph and Telephone International

PVC

polyvinyl chloride

Q

QC

Queen’s Counsel

QUEST

1. quality electrical systems test
2. quarterly European simulation tool
3. query evaluation and search technique

R

RAM

random access memory

RAPID

database giving daily view of EU activities, managed by the Directorate-General for Press and Communication of the European Commission

RARE

associated networks for European research

R & D

research and development

RDD

research, development and demonstration

Reitox

European information network on drugs and drug addiction

ROM

read-only memory

RTD

research and technological development

S

SA

FR: société anonyme

SAARC

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SAD

single administrative document

SADC

Southern African Development Community

SAF

structural adjustment facility

SAFE

SAFE programme (safety actions for Europe) aimed at improving safety, hygiene and health at work, in particular in small and medium-sized enterprises

SALT

strategic arms limitation talks

SARL

FR: société à responsabilité limitée

Satcen

European Union Satellite Centre

SAVE

specific actions for vigorous energy efficiency

SCAD

automated central documentation service (database)(FR: service central automatisé de documentation)

SCENT

system for a customs enforcement network

SCF

Scientific Committee on Food

SDI

strategic defence initiative

SDR

special drawing right (IMF)

SdT (*)

FR: service de traduction (European Commission; replaced by the Directorate-General for Translation)

SEAFO

South-East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation

SEDOC

European system for the international clearing of vacancies and applications for employment (see EURES)

SESAR

New generation European air traffic management system

SGML

standard generalised markup language

SICAV

FR: société d'investissement à capital variable

SIENA

trade database based on Nimexe (Eurostat)(FR: système intérimaire d’exploitation de la Nimexe automatisé)

SIMAP

Information system for public procurement

SIS

Schengen information system

SITC

standard international trade classification

SME

small and medium-sized enterprise

SMIC

FR: salaire minimal interprofessionnel de croissance

SMIG

FR: salaire minimal interprofessionnel garanti

SMU

small and medium-sized undertaking

SOLAS

International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea

SpA (*)

IT: società per azioni

SPRL

FR: société de personnes à responsabilité limitée

Stabex

system for the stabilisation of ACP and OCT export earnings

START

strategic arms reduction talks

STOA

scientific and technological options assessment

Sysmin

special financing facility for ACP and OCT mining products

Systran

computer translation system

SWIFT

Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Transfers

T

TAC

total allowable catch

Tacis (*)

technical assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States

TAM

trade assessment mechanism

TARIC

integrated tariff of the European Union

TCDC

technical cooperation among developing countries

Tempus

trans-European mobility scheme for university studies

TENs

trans-European networks

TGV

high-speed train (FR: train à grande vitesse)

TIF

international transit by rail (FR: transport international par chemin de fer)

TIR

international carriage of goods by road
(FR: transport international de marchandises par route)

TRIPs

trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights

TUC

Trades Union Congress

U

UCLAF

Unit for the Coordination of Fraud Prevention

UHF

ultra-high frequency

UHT

ultra-heat-treated (milk or cream)

UMTS

universal mobile telecommunications system

UN

United Nations

UNBRO

United Nations Border Relief Operation

UNCED

United Nations Conference on Environment and Development

UNCTAD (*)

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development

UNDP

United Nations Development Programme

UNDRO

United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation

UNECE

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

UNEP

United Nations Environment Programme

UNESCO (*)

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNHCR

Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

UNICE

Union of Industrial and Employers’ Confederations of Europe

UNICEF (*)

United Nations Children’s Fund

UNRRA

United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency

UNRWA

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

UPU

Universal Postal Union

URBAN

initiative concerning urban areas

URL

uniform resource locator

USA

United States of America

USAID

United States Agency for International Development

V

v

versus

VAT

value added tax

VHF

very high frequency

VOCs

volatile organic compounds

W

WCPFC

Commission for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (usual name: Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission)

WECAFC

Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission

WEU

Western European Union

WFTU

World Federation of Trade Unions

WHO

World Health Organization (UN)

WIPO

World Intellectual Property Organization (UN)

WTO

World Trade Organization (successor to GATT)

WWF

Worldwide Fund for Nature (formerly World Wildlife Fund)