The annual European Union Ambassadors Conference will be between 10 and 18 October in full physical format again and after two years of pandemic.

The Ambassadors’ Conference takes place against the background of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and its global consequences, and as the world recovers from the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss with the EU Principals and other high-level speakers on the European Union’s response to global developments and challenges.

The conference brings together EU Ambassadors from the EU’s 145 EU Delegations and Offices around the world, in addition to the Heads of EU military and civilian operations and the Heads of the European Commission Representations in all 27 EU Member States. It offers an opportunity to review EU’s outreach in the world and to discuss main challenges and tasks for the next months.

The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the Commission Josep Borrell will open the conference with a public address on Monday at 09:30. He will be introduced by the EEAS Secretary General Stefano Sannino. The address will be broadcast live on the European Commission’s audiovisual service, Europe by Satellite.

European Council President Charles Michel will talk to the Ambassadors on the same day at 14:00, also broadcast live.

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola’s address will be broadcast live on Tuesday 11 October followed by the keynote speech of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, on Wednesday 12 October at 14:00 also broadcast live.

The Ambassadors’ Conference will also include exchanges with the European Commission Executive Vice-Presidents Frans Timmermans, Margrethe Vestager, and Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioners Ylva Johansson, Jutta Urpilainen, and Olivér Várhelyi. Other international institutions will be represented by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoană, UN Deputy Secretary General Amina J. Mohammed, and IOM Director General António Vitoríno.

Throughout the Conference, Ambassadors will have the opportunity to exchange views with Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, as well as with Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian. Journalist and 2021 Nobel prize laureate Maria Ressa will also be among the key guest speakers. Other guest speakers include the Secretary-Generals from the European Parliament, European Commission, and the General Secretariat of the Council, as well as Members of the European Parliament.

 [all times are CET]

Background

The Ambassadors’ Conference is a yearly event that allows for an open exchange between participants and high-level speakers on the European Union’s internal and external activities, global developments, and the EU’s strategic outlook. This year’s sessions include multilateralism in an increasingly multi-polar environment and how to uphold the rules-based international order; the EU’s leading role in global climate action; the global response to food insecurity; the energy crisis; the EU’s Security and Defence agenda; enhancing trade and the EU’s strategic autonomy; on promoting democracy, human rights and gender equality in an age of disinformation and battles of narratives; migration policy; promoting the EU’s outreach to international partners; and enhancing the EU’s public diplomacy efforts.