Skip to main content
Sep 30, 2020

Role of the European Union Delegations and European Parliament Liaison Offices

Image showing the article's title with a world map in the backgroundThe Treaty of Lisbon signed in 2011 conferred upon the European External Action Service the responsibility to operate EU Delegations and Offices around the world.

Located outside of the EU, the Delegations play a vital role in representing the EU and its citizens around the globe, in building networks and partnerships and in promoting the values and interests of the EU. They are responsible for all policy areas of the relationship between the EU and the host country – be they political, economic, trade or on human rights and in building relationships with partners in civil society.

A fundamental aspect of an EU Delegation mission is its public diplomacy role, which consists of increasing the visibility, awareness and understanding of the EU.

In this regard, the European Union Visitor Programme (EUVP) works closely with the Delegations as well as with the European Parliament Liaison Offices (EPLOs) to the US Congress and to the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in mutually beneficial ways. For instance, the Delegations and EPLOs actively support the work of the EUVP by identifying and nominating young promising leaders in host countries who have the opportunity to travel to Brussels and gain a better understanding of the EU Institutions.

For its part, the EUVP contributes to the Delegations’ and EPLOs public diplomacy role by organising the visits of the selected young leaders. The visits consist of tailor-made programmes of meetings with members of EU Institutions and EU officials, offering young leaders the chance to learn more about the EU, explore the policy area(s) of their interest and create long-lasting connections and partnerships.

The EUVP is proud to cooperate with EU Delegations and EPLOs to welcome each year over 200 young leaders from around the world.

If you are interested in learning more about the EU and the opportunities it offers, EU Delegation in your country is your primary point of contact and a reliable source of information. To quickly find your way to the website of the EU Delegation in your country, please visit the European External Action Service's dedicated page: https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage/area/geo_en