The EU Delegation in Manila
Setting the record straight
There is often uncertainty among the public about the meaning of the terms "European Union" and "European Community", and about the role of the "European Commission".
The modern process of European integration began in 1952, with the Treaty of Paris which established the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). This was carried forward in 1958, with the Rome Treaties establishing the European Economic Community (EEC, often called the "Common Market") and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). Since then, these related bodies have generally been spoken of as the European Community (EC). Then in 1993, the Maastricht Treaty introduced the term "European Union" (EU), covering the cooperation of the Member-States of the EU plus the EC - but at that point the EU still remained a political concept, rather than a legal entity, and much of the work of the EU continued to be carried out by the EC. Now, however, the Lisbon Treaty, adopted in December 2007 and entering into force in December 2009, has changed all that. From 1 December 2009, the European Union is a legal entity, taking on all aspects of the work of the European Community, and adding new and enhanced cooperation in international relations and other areas. The European Community, under that title, no longer exists, being encompassed now by the European Union.
The European Commission has since 1952 been the executive branch or the "civil service" of the EC and now the EU. Its work includes the development of policy proposals for the functioning of the EU, and the monitoring of the implementation of these policies, once adopted by the Council and the Parliament. With its headquarters in Brussels, the Commission has some 20,000 staff, working in areas as diverse as agriculture & fisheries, environment, competition, consumer protection, energy, home affairs, justice, regional development, research, trade, transport, and development cooperation & humanitarian assistance.
Internationally, the European Commission has for many years had a growing network of Delegations in third countries, responsible for the implementation of our external policies and working closely with the Embassies of the Member States. Currently there are Delegations in more than 130 countires around the world (the Delegation in Manila, for example, was opened in 1990). Since 1 December 2009, however, the Lisbon Treaty has brought a major change, in that these Commission Delegations have now become Delegations of the European Union. With the creation of the European External Action Service - the diplomatic service of the EU, these EU Delegations will be responsible for implementing all aspects of the external relations policies of the EU, whether in the political, economic, or cooperation fields.
Who We Are
The Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines (EU Delegation Manila) is a fully-fledged diplomatic mission, with the task of officially representing the European Union in the Philippines (in close cooperation with the Embassies of the
the EU Member States. The Head of Delegation is formally accredited as the official representative of the European Union to the Government of the Philippines and is referred to as the Ambassador and Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines.
The Delegation was established in October 1990, and the premises of the Delegation were officially opened in May 1991 in the presence of President Corazon C. Aquino, Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus and EC Commissioner Abel Matutes. The Delegation has some 50 staff, and is organised in five sections - the office of the Ambassador, plus sections dealing with Economic, Political and Information matters, Cooperation (Operations), Cooperation (Finance and Contracts) and Administration. In addition to following political and economic aspects of the EU's relations with the Philippines, and managing the EU's cooperation programmes with the Philippines, the Delegation also serves as an information point for all enquiries relating to EU-Philippine relations or to the policies and activities of the EU generally. The Delegation does not however deal with any tasks of a consular nature (like issuing visas or providing tourist information), which are dealt with by the embassies of the EU Member States. |
Welcome to the homepage of the
Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines !
