Creation of the Programme
The principle of creating a European Community ‘leader grant programme’ was considered at the first European Parliament/United States Congress Inter-parliamentary meeting held in Washington in May 1972, led by the Vice-President of the European Parliament and former Dutch Senator Dr. Willem SCHUIJT.
On his return, Dr. SCHUIJT reported that his group had encountered misunderstanding in Washington over the European Commission’s economic stance with the possibility of conflict as a result. Subsequently, Dr. SCHUIJT suggested the creation of a scholarship programme for young Americans who would learn in Europe about Community integration through direct contacts, and firsthand experience.
Launching of the European Community’s Visitors Programme (ECVP)
In January 1973, the Parliament adopted a resolution establishing the programme as a means to “strengthening the links between the European Community and the United States”. In this resolution, the Commission was invited to join forces in financing and running the proposed programme.
In February 1974 the President of the European Parliament Mr. BERKHOWER and Vice-President of the European Commisison Mr. SCARASCIA MUGNOZZA agreed to create an inter-institutional invitation programme for young US leaders.
The European Community’s Visitors Programme (ECVP) was officially launched on 1 April 1974. Its Secretariat was headed by Mr. Camille BECKER of the European Commission, assisted by Mr. Peter BARKER-JONES of the European Parliament.
The ECVP, which was modelled on the US programme that had existed since World War II, invited American leaders to the then 9 countries of the Common Market on a 4 to 5-week study-tour. In those early years, the itinerary of every visitor involved meetings at the EU institutions in Brussels and attendance at a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg as well as travel to 3 other member states.
Geographical and Numerical Expansion
1974: United States of America
Five American visitors arrived in Brussels in 1974 for a month-long programme. Their visits marked the beginning of the ECVP (now EUVP). Since then, and up until 2025, nearly 1000 American visitors participated in the programme, forming the largest single-country group.
1977: Canada
In 1977, driven by the Institutions’ desire to negotiate a framework agreement with Canada, the programme was extended accordingly and used to deepen this cooperation. The Press and Information Office in Ottawa therefore proposed a certain number of candidates who were directly linked to the implementation of this agreement.
1977: Latin America
In July 1974 at the first European Community/Latin America Inter-Parliamentary Conference held in Bogotá, the Members of the European Parliament proposed the creation of a separate study programme for young Latin Americans.
Consequently, in 1977, the Parliament started the Latin American Visitors Programme, also known as the LAVP, with two participants from Guatemala and Argentina. In 1978, it was decided that the Commission of the European Communities would participate starting in 1979.
With a joint budget for the ECVP and the LAVP, it was envisaged that the two Programmes, at a later stage, would be jointly run by one Steering Committee.
In 1983, an enlarged ECVP definitively included the Latin American region, thus covering both North and South America.
1983: Australia and New Zealand
In 1983, the ECVP was extended to include two visitors from Australia and one from New Zealand.
The expansion was again driven by political and economic motives. Australia and New Zealand had encountered difficulties exporting their agricultural and industrial products to the Common Market, which they attributed to the accession of the United Kingdom to the Community.
1984: Japan
The following year - in 1984 - the ECVP was extended to three Japanese participants. Over 250 Japanese visitors participated in the programme in the past 50 years.
1990: ASEAN, China, South Korea, EFTA, Turkey and Yugoslavia
The inclusion of ASEAN countries in the programme was first proposed in 1979, in view of the opening of the Commission’s Delegation in Bangkok. However, it took another 11 years before this vision could become reality.
At the same time, the Committee felt that the basic infrastructure of the ECVP might reasonably handle some more visitors, both from third countries already participating and from other geographical areas where there was a need to improve relations and to promote a better understanding of the Community. The number of allocations was therefore increased to 90 in 1990 in order to cover a wider geographical spread.
1993: Further geographical and numerical expansion
In 1993, the number of visitors was further increased to 150.
1999-2001: The EUVP welcomed 210 participants between 1999 and 2001, with a particular emphasis on visitors coming from the candidate countries waiting to enter the European Union in May 2004.
2004-2006:
The number of participants was reduced to 165 paid visitors in 2004, as a result of budgetary cuts and staff reductions. This figure was again increased to 180 in 2005, and to 190 in 2006.
2007: European Neighborhood Policy
The European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) was launched in 2004 to develop a framework for the EU the strengthen relations with its neighbouring countries in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and the Mediterranean, aiming to promote stability, security and prosperity.
In 2007, in accordance with the ENP, the number of visitors invited from the aforementioned regions was increased, and the EUVP welcomed 200 participants in total.
2018:
In 2018, the EUVP welcomed 155 participants from across the world.
Since then, the number has increased every year.
2020 – 2021:
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the EUVP adapted by organising more than 200 virtual programmes for its participants from all over the world. In addition, the EUVP introduced new online alumni engagement activities such as EUVP Alumni webinars dedicated to the EU’s strategic policies, as well as online conversations with alumni dedicated to specific countries/topics.
2022:
The EUVP welcomed 190 participants from 53 countries, despite obstacles such as travel restrictions which were still in place in some countries. Selected participants even had the chance to immerse themselves in the history of European integration with visits to Paris and the House of Jean Monnet in Bazoches-sur-Guyonne, France. Moreover, the EUVP, in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut’s Visitors Programme, organised a pilot visit to the financial institutions in Frankfurt, Germany, in October.
2024: In the year marking the 50th anniversary of the EUVP, 248 participants from 82 countries visited Brussels and Strasbourg—the biggest cohort yet!
2024: To strengthen networking and knowledge-sharing after the completion of study visits, the EUVP launched its official LinkedIn group for alumni and EU colleagues.