>Felida97 at 19:54, 19 November 2021

2021-11-19T19:54:12Z

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{{Short description|Organization in a government responsible for specific functions}}
{{further|Political organisation}}
{{Multiple issues|
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A '''government''' or '''state agency''', sometimes an appointed '''commission''', is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the [[machinery of government]] that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an [[Administration (government)|administration]]. There is a notable variety of agency types. Although usage differs, a government agency is normally distinct both from a department or [[Ministry (government department)|ministry]], and other types of public body established by [[government]]. The functions of an agency are normally executive in character since different types of organizations (''such as commissions'') are most often constituted in an advisory role—this distinction is often blurred in practice however, it is not allowed.

A government agency may be established by either a national government or a state government within a federal system. ''The term is not normally used for an organization created by the powers of a local government body''. Agencies can be established by legislation or by executive powers. The autonomy, independence, and accountability of government agencies also vary widely.

==History==
Early examples of organizations that would now be termed a government agency include the British [[Navy Board]], responsible for ships and supplies, which was established<ref>A brief history of the Royal Navy, Royal Navy Museum, accessed at [http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_naval_history.htm] June 9, 2006,</ref> in 1546 by King Henry VIII and the British [[Commissioner of Bankruptcy (England and Wales)|Commissioners of Bankruptcy]] established<ref>Macleavy, J. and O. Gay (2005) ''The Quango Debate'', House of Commons Library Research Paper 05/30, p. 8 accessed at {{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2005/rp05-030.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2006-06-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619222709/http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2005/rp05-030.pdf |archive-date=2006-06-19 }}</ref> in 1570.

From 1933, the [[New Deal]] saw growth in US federal agencies, the "[[alphabet agencies]]" as they were used to deliver new programs created by legislation, such as the [[Federal Emergency Relief Administration]].

From the 1980s, as part of [[New Public Management]], several countries including Australia and the United Kingdom developed the use of agencies to improve efficiency in public services.

== Australia ==
{{Main|List of Australian government entities}}

==Canada==
{{Main|Structure of the Canadian federal government}}

==France==
Administrative law in France refers to ''autorité administrative indépendante'' (AAI) or Independent Administrative Authorities. They tend to be prominent in the following areas of public policy;
* Economic and financial regulation
* Information and communication
* Defence of citizens' rights

Independent Administrative Authorities in France may not be instructed or ordered to take specific actions by the government.

==Germany==
{{Main|Federal agency (Germany)}}

==Greece==
{{Main|General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace}}

The [[General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace]] ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Γενική Γραμματεία Μακεδονίας-Θράκης), previously [[Ministry for Macedonia and Thrace]] ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Υπουργείο Μακεδονίας-Θράκης) is a government agency of the [[Hellenic Republic]] that is responsible for the [[Administrative regions of Greece|Greek regions]] of [[Macedonia (Greece)|Macedonia]] and [[Thrace (Greece)|Thrace]].

==Iceland==
{{Main|Government agencies in Iceland}}

==India==
{{See also|List of Indian government agencies}}

The term ''agency'' in India has several meanings; for example,the [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet and the parliament]] [[wikt:secretariat|Secretariat]] describes itself<ref>Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India at [http://cabsec.nic.in/], accessed June 30, 2006</ref> as a "''nodal agency'' for coordination amongst the ministries of the Govt. of India". Most notably as an international feature, what appear to be independent agencies (''or apex agencies'') include some that have active roles for Ministers: such as, the [[National Security Council (India)|National Security Council]], the [[Indian Council of Agricultural Research]], and the [[Planning Commission (India)|Planning Commission]], which is chaired [[ex officio]] by the Prime Minister.

==Russian Federation==
Russia has had many government agencies throughout its history. The [[USSR]] had the secretive [[KGB]].
Today, Russian government agencies such as the [[Federal Security Service (Russia)|FSB]], [[Federal Protective Service of Russia|FSO]], and the [[Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye|GRU]] use [[Spetsnaz]] or other masked operators for any missions.
Other organizations include [[Kremlin]] and presidential security.

==Sweden ==
{{Main|Government agencies in Sweden}}
The Government agencies in Sweden are [[State (Sweden)|State]] controlled organizations who act independently to carry out the policies of the [[Government of Sweden]]. The [[Government of Sweden#List of Government ministries and offices|Ministries]] are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, allowed to control agencies by policy decisions but not by direct orders. This means that while the agencies are subject to decisions made by the Government, Ministers are explicitly prohibited (so-called ban on ''[[ministerstyre]]'') from interfering with the day-to-day operation in an agency or the outcome in individual cases as well.

In addition to the State and its agencies, there are also local government agencies, which are extensions of [[Municipalities of Sweden|municipalities]] and [[County councils of Sweden|county council]]s.

==United Kingdom==
{{Main|British government departments}}

Agencies in the United Kingdom are either [[executive agency|executive agencies]] answerable to [[political minister|government ministers]] or [[non-departmental public body|non-departmental public bodies]] answerable directly to one of the [[parliament]]s or devolved [[Deliberative assembly|assemblies]] of the United Kingdom. They are also commonly known as [[Quango]]s.

Agencies can be created by enabling legislation by the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]], [[Scottish Parliament]] or the [[National Assembly for Wales]].

Agencies in England usually answer to Westminster or the British Government. In Scotland, they usually answer to the [[Scottish Government]] or the Scottish Parliament and in Wales to the National Assembly for Wales.

Some have remits that cover the entire UK and these organizations are funded by and answer to the British Government.

==United States==
{{Main|List of federal agencies in the United States}}

The [[Congress of the United States|Congress]] and [[President of the United States]] delegate specific authority to government agencies to [[regulation|regulate]] the complex facets of the modern [[US|American]] [[Federal republic|federal state]]. Also, most of the 50 [[U.S. state]]s have created similar government agencies. Each of the 50 states' governments is similar to the national government with all but one having a bicameral legislature.
The term "government agency" or "administrative agency" usually applies to one of the '''[[independent agencies of the United States government]]''', which exercise some degree of independence from the President's control. Although the heads of independent agencies are often appointed by the government, they can usually be removed only for cause. The heads of independent agencies work together in groups, such as a commission, board or council. Independent agencies often function as miniature versions of the [[Separation of powers under the United States Constitution|tripartite]] federal government with the authority to [[legislation|legislate]] (through the issuing, or "promulgation" of [[regulation]]s), to [[adjudication|adjudicate]] disputes, and to [[enforcement|enforce]] agency regulations (through enforcement personnel). Examples of independent agencies include the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC), [[Federal Reserve Board]], [[U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission]] (SEC), the [[National Labor Relations Board]] (NLRB) and the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC).

A broader definition of the term "government agency" also means the '''[[United States federal executive departments]]''' that includes the President's [[United States Cabinet|cabinet-level departments]], and their sub-units. Examples of these agencies include the [[United States Department of Energy|Department of Energy]] (DOE) and the [[Internal Revenue Service]] (IRS), which is a bureau of the [[United States Department of the Treasury|Department of the Treasury]].

Most federal agencies are created by Congress through [[statute]]s called "[[enabling act]]s" which define the scope of an agency's authority. Because the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] does not expressly mention federal agencies (as it does the three branches), some commentators have called agencies the "headless fourth branch" of the federal government. However, most independent agencies are technically part of the executive branch, with a few located in the legislative branch of government. By enacting the [[Administrative Procedure Act (United States)|Administrative Procedure Act]] (APA) in 1946, Congress established some means to oversee government agency action. The APA established uniform [[administrative law]] procedures for a federal agency's promulgation of rules and adjudication of claims. The APA also sets forth the process for [[judicial review]] of agency action.

==See also==
*[[Classification of the Functions of Government]]
*[[Government-owned corporation]]
*[[Regulatory agency]]
*[[Statutory authority]]
*[[Statutory corporation]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* ''[http://www.nuff.ox.ac.uk/politics/whitehall/Machinery.html Machinery of Government Reform: Principles and Practice]'' in "The Organisation of Central Government Departments: A History 1964–1992", ESRC Whitehall Programme at [[Nuffield College]], University of Oxford. (accessed October 16, 2018)

==External links==
*[http://www.dictionnaire.enap.ca/Dictionnaire/17/Index_par_mot.enap?&by=word&id=5&lng=en Encyclopedic Dictionary of Public Administration, Agency]

{{Civil service}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Government agencies| ]]
[[Category:Independent government agencies by country| ]]

Government agency - Revision history

>Felida97 at 19:54, 19 November 2021