Interest in cultural perspectives on the EU institutions reached their high point in the 1990s with studies published by anthropologists, sociologists and political scientists. In the past decade or so, however, this research agenda has tended to fall ‘under the radar’. Yet adopting a cultural perspective offers a substantial added-value to research which takes, for example, a more rationalist or instrumentalist approach. To revisit the uses of the concept of organizational culture, this panel addresses explicitly the day-to-day activities of EU institutions. How do individuals working in EU institutions deal with their cultural differences? Do the national cultures cause culture shocks which hinder work efficiency; or do institutions develop specific cultural norms which allow EU staff to overcome their cultural differences in their daily interactions? The papers forming this panel will reflect on these questions drawing on case studies and illustrations involving, for example, the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS). The papers will focus on various facets of the day-to-day life of the EU institutions, including administrative cultures, the use of humour among MEPs, changing diplomatic practices in the EU, and the relevance of epistemic communities, to show how actors deal with the cultural diversity with which they are confronted in their daily routines.