About us
The Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy works with her colleagues to carry out an effective and coherent external relations policy for the European Union, so as to enable the EU to assert its identity on the international scene. The Commissioner co-ordinates the external relations activities of the Commission, and is its interface with the General Affairs and External relations Council (GAERC) and with the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Mr. Javier Solana. The Commissioner also ensures that the Commission has a clear identity and a coherent approach in its external activities.
The Directorate-General for External Relations 
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[143 KB] (DG RELEX) contributes to this policy formulation by the Commissioner. To this end DG RELEX works closely with other Directorates-General, notably EuropeAid, DGs Development, Trade and ECHO.
DG RELEX is responsible for the Commission’s relations with international organisations, such as the United Nations, the OSCE, and the Council of Europe, as well as the Commission's participation in the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and the administration of more than 120 Commission delegations in third countries, and to international organisations.
DG RELEX also manages the European Neighbourhood Policy.
The External Relations Directorate General manages bilateral relations with:
- European countries which are not members of the European Union or part of the wider enlargement process, i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, including the EEA-Agreement
- the Eastern neighbours
- the countries of Central Asia
- the countries of the Mediterranean, Middle-East & the Gulf
- North America, Latin America, Australia, Asia, Japan, and China