Source: European Parliament
Maintaining a network of EU Delegations around the world is an obligation[1] and a political necessity. The network (the largest among EU diplomatic services with 145 EU Delegations) is vital for articulating and executing the EU’s priorities, both for external and internal policies.
More EU is needed in the world, as a normative, geopolitical and economic power. The Delegations project the EU’s values and policies on the ground, pursue strategic partnerships to reinforce the EU competitiveness and the economic security of third countries through the implementation of Global Gateway and the external dimension of key EU priorities[2]. They also enable the EU to deliver on key political commitments, undertaken in multilateral fora, such as the implementation of Agenda 2030 and its sustainable development goals.
Therefore, it is critical that EU Delegations are fit for the future and are equipped with the right mix of staff profiles and tools to respond to the rapidly shifting geopolitical situation, evolving policy priorities, and budget constraints.
As of today, there is no specific ‘plan’ nor decision for changing the EU Delegations’ structure or closing down any of them. T he Commission and the European External Action Service are looking into options for their modernisation on the basis of a set of budgetary, legal and staff parameters to increase their effectiveness. This is a collective endeavour and ambition to have an EU network fit for the future to protect EU interests in the world.