EU-US Emerging Leaders Visitors Programme

Building long-lasting ties

For the EU, the relationship with the US is of paramount importance and the transatlantic partnership is now at a particularly strong juncture. However, our ties with the US need to consider the demographic and political shifts in the United States, and our priority is to ensure that this partnership remains strong. This is why the EU-US Emerging Leaders Visitors Programme will aim to strengthen and cultivate long-lasting relationships by raising the understanding of the EU, its values and policies, and of the imperative of a strong and vibrant transatlantic partnership.

EU-US Emerging Leaders Visitors Programme is intended to be complementary to existing people-to-people projects developed at the EU level and by the Member States, particularly focused on younger generation, promoting diversity in our relationship. It is developed in full coordination with the EU Visitors Programme (EUVP).

Who are the visitors?

Young, upcoming and vocal generation of US leaders – representatives of federal or local government, political parties, think-tanks, business, non-for-profit organisations, and academia. Groups of visitors will be composed of wide range of social, economic, ethnic and geographical background.

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European Union, 2025

The Programme

The programme involves a series of one-week visits that combine two days visiting the EU in Brussels and three days in one of the participating Member States.

Following an immersion into the Brussels policy making environment, involving meetings with EU institutions’ staff and relevant interlocutors from the private sector and civil society, participants then get to see how these policies, in a given area, are implemented in the Member States, through travel and engagement in Member States that are taking part in the programme.

Each study visit focuses on topics linked to the priorities of the EU-US partnership, such as: support to Ukraine, cybersecurity cooperation, economic security, strengthening trade, investment and technological cooperation, protecting the planet and fostering green growth, building a more democratic, peaceful and secure world.

The visits that have already taken place are:

Ireland 19-25 February 2023: Peacebuilding and Reconciliation on the Island of Ireland, with visits to Dublin, Belfast and Dungannon.
Portugal 16-22 April 2023: Blue Economy, with visits to Lisbon and Sines.
Austria 25 June-1 July 2023: Comprehensive Security, with visit to Vienna.
Romania 24-29 September 2023: Energy Security, with visits to Bucharest and Cernavodă.
Luxembourg 8-13 October 2023: Space for a Greener Future, with visit to Luxembourg.
Spain 26 November-1 December 2023: Renewable Energy, with visits to Madrid, Toledo and Alcobendas.
France 18-23 February 2024: The Economy of the Future: What Technological Standards?, with visit to Paris.
Lithuania 21-26 April 2024: Security Dilemmas of the Baltic Region, with visits to Vilnius and Pabradė.
Slovenia 26-31 May 2024: Deployment of Green Technologies, with visits to Ljubljana, Bled, Postojna and Vipava.
Greece 9-14 June 2024: Fostering Innovation and Investments, with visits to Athens.

The upcoming visits are:

Czech Republic 25-30 May 2025: Europe as a responsible partner: support to Ukraine
Slovakia 15-20 June 2025: Economic security, including supply chain competitiveness and resilience
Latvia 12-17 October 2025: Transport and Innovation
Finland 9-14 November 2025: EU-US Arctic cooperation
Spain February 2026: Strengthening/reforming international financial institutions
Sweden March 2026: Digital policy making : implementation of the DSA and DMA, AI act and lessons learned along the way
Estonia April 2026: Cybersecurity cooperation

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European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP)

The European Union Visitors Programme (EUVP) is the key strategic tool of the EU’s public, people-to-people diplomacy enhancing the EU’s smart power, global impact and outreach. The EUVP’s distinguished Alumni include many former and current national political leaders, high-ranking government officials, academics and business people.

In close cooperation with EU Delegations throughout the world, the EUVP invites young political leaders and opinion-formers. They come from countries and international organisations outside the EU. Their study visits enhance mutual knowledge and understanding, foster common values, and promote EU interests and policies.

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EU Alumni

Participants will be invited to register on the platform, to be informed of the events organized by the EU not only in Europe and Washington DC, New York, but all over the world. They will also have the opportunity to make contact with alumni of other EU-funded programmes.