What do Delegations do?

Originally, the role of the European Commission's External Service was to represent it in trade negotiations and to undertake development co-operation activities. Over the years the External Service, in the form of delegations and representative offices, have also come to represent European interests in many other areas of EU activity. The development of new areas of EU action, and in particular the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), has given an additional dimension to the work of these offices.

The 128 delegations and representations of the External Service serve the Commission and the EU by:

• publicising, explaining and implementing EU policy; 

• analysing the policies of the countries to which they are accredited; 

• conducting negotiations according to the mandates given to them; 

• exercising powers conferred on the European Community in third countries by promoting Europe's interests as embodied in the Community policies (such as trade, agriculture and fisheries); 

• playing a key role in development assistance, a role that will expand greatly as a consequence of the de-concentration policy starting this year as core part of the Commission's external assistance reform package. Increasingly, not only will Delegations be closely involved in programming but will manage projects directly in the field.

Beyond these tasks the Delegations play a growing role in the EU's CFSP. They work closely with Member State Embassies and in particular with the Presidency conducting joint evaluations, participating in Troika démarches and other implementing tasks. The Delegations also provide support and assistance to other institutions and actors of the EU including the High Representative/Secretary General of the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament.

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