The starting point of an organization or agency is an agreement by Alliance members on a Charter that lays out the tasks and responsibilities of a NATO organization. A board is normally set up to guide the work of the new organization, and an agency is often created to carry out its activities. In some cases, more than one agency works within the framework of an organization.
Although NATO organizations and agencies are autonomous, they are required to follow the terms set out in their charters and usually report to either the North Atlantic Council or the Military Committee, or to both. They benefit from NATO’s tax-exempt status and primarily serve the Alliance and its member states. Some, however, also assist with the needs of NATO partners when this benefits the Alliance.
NATO’s organizations and agencies are located within the Alliance Headquarters in Brussels and a number of Allied countries.
As part of the NATO reform process, the structure and organizations of the Alliance’s agencies are currently under review.
NATO’s organizations and agencies include 1:
- NATO Research and Technology Organisation (RTO)
- NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency (NC3A)
- NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA)
- NATO Standardization Agency (NSA)
- Central Europe Pipeline Management Agency (CEPMA)
- NATO Medium Extended Air Defence System Design and Development Production and Logistics Management Agency
- NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Programme Management Agency (NAPMA)
- NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) Management Agency (NACMA)
- NATO Battlefield Information Collection and Exploitation Systems Agency
- NATO Communication and Information Systems Services Agency (NCSA)
- NATO Helicopter Design and Development Production and Logistics Management Agency
- NATO EF2000 and Tornado Development and Logistics Management Agency
- NATO Airlift Management Agency (NAMA)
- NATO Training Group