Organization of the CPVO

The CPVO is composed of the Administrative Council, the Management, the Technical Unit, the Finance and Administrative Unit, the Legal Unit, the Quality Audit Service, the Human Resources and Public Relations Service, the IT Service and the Board of Appeal.

The Administrative Council supervises and advises the CPVO, formulates its general orientations and guidelines, provides opinions, constitutes the budgetary authority of the CPVO, examines and controls both its activities and those of its President.

The CPVO Management is ensured by its President, nominated by the Council of the European Union.

The Board of Appeal is responsible for deciding on appeals made against certain kinds of decisions taken by the CPVO. The decisions of the Board of Appeal can be appealed against at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg.

Various Community institutions such as the Council of the European Union, the Court of Auditors (control of income and expenditure accounts), the European Parliament and the European Commission impinge directly or indirectly on the activities of the CPVO.