Établissement public à caractère administratif
An Établissement public à caractère administratif (EPA; literally translating to "public establishment of an administrative nature") is, in France, a public law legal person with a certain administrative and financial autonomy to fulfil a mission of public interest (that is not industrial or commercial in nature) under the control of the State or a local authority. It is a category of public undertaking in France, and includes some research institutes and infrastructure operators. As opposed to the Établissements publics à caractère industriel et commercial, which are subject to private law, EPAs are mainly governed by public law. This legal distinction is recognised by the French precedent. Different types of EPA EPAs under the supervision of the Ministry of Armed Forces include: The Institut supérieur de l'aéronautique et de l'espace (ISAE) The ENSTA ParisTech The École nationale supérieure de techniques avancées Bretagne (ENSTA Bretagne) The École Polytechnique The Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM) The Établissement de communication et de production audiovisuelle de la Défense (ECPAD) The Établissement public d'insertion de la défense (EPIDE) The Musée de l'Armée The Musée national de la Marine The Musée de l'Air The Académie de Marine The Etablissement public national des fonds de prévoyance militaire