Objective

The EDP is a common project between the EU Member States and EU Institutions and is part of the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy. In practice, EEAS is responsible for the EDP's overall coordination. The programme is executed by the Member States’ Foreign Ministries, the EEAS, the General Secretariat of the Council and the Commission. The programme has three general aims:

• help European diplomats create networks that foster a European identity in foreign policy;
• raise awareness among national diplomats about the European dimension of diplomacy;
• provide a teaching environment whose framework transcends the strictly national.

Structure and participants

EDP participants are young diplomats from Member States and officials of the European External Action Service, the European Commission and the General Secretariat of the Council. Around 1000 participants followed the EDP since the first edition of the program in 2000-2001.

The EDP is composed of 4 modules taking place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States, EEAS, GSC and EC in Brussels. Each year, an overall theme is chosen for the EDP. The themes covered so far are:

• "The Future of Europe: Facing Global Challenges as Global Opportunities" (2019-2020)
• "The EU Global Strategy: from Vision to Action" (2018-2019)
• "The EU Global Strategy: from Vision to Action" (2017-2018)
• "Emerging challenges and global issues in current diplomacy" (2016-2017)
• "Emerging challenges and global issues in current diplomacy" (2015-2016)
• "Emerging challenges and global issues in current diplomacy" (2014-2015)
• "Emerging challenges and global issues in current diplomacy" (2013-2014)
• "The European Union and the Strategic Partnerships" (2012- 2013)
• "Europe and its neighbours" (2011-2012)
• "New systemic challenges for the EU: external action coherence" (2010-2011)
• "EU-Transatlantic relations" (2009-2010);
• "Neighbourhood policy and energy challenge : two priority issues for the EU" (2008-2009)
• "Population flows, development and security in Africa: challenges for and responses by the EU" (2007-2008)
• "EU’s relations to China and India" (2006-2007);
• "EU - Transatlantic relations" (2005-2006);
• "European Security Strategy" (2004-2005);
• "Wider Europe – European Neighbourhood Policy" (2003-2004);
• "The Enlargement" (2002-2003);
• "Western Balkans" (2001-2002);
• ''Round Tables on some of the Presidency's priorities'' (2000-2001)

Further Information

For further information about the selection procedure in your own Member State, please address yourself to your own Foreign Affairs Ministry.