The annual European Union Ambassadors` conference is taking place between the 9th and 13th of November, for the first time in a virtual format.

The conference brings together EU Ambassadors from the EU`s 143 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 the 27 EU Member States.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the Commission Josep Borrell (pictured) opened the conference with a public address on Monday at 12:00 CET. His address has been broadcasted live on the European Commission’s audiovisual service, Europe by Satellite. The address by the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, at 14:30 CET on Tuesday 10 November will also be broadcast live, as will Josep Borrell’s closing address on Friday 13 November at 11:30 CET.

The Ambassadors’ conference includes exchanges with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, Commission Executive Vice-Presidents Frans Timmermans, Margrethe Vestager, and Valdis Dombrovskis, Commission Vice-Presidents Maroš Šefčovič and Věra Jourová, Commissioners Ylva Johansson and Jutta Urpilainen, and the President of the European Investment Bank, President Werner Hoyer.

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. 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 the coronavirus; the EU’s Security and Defence agenda; enhancing trade and the EU’s strategic autonomy; and on promoting democracy, human rights and gender equality in an age of disinformation and battles of narratives. The event will also discuss migration policy, promoting the EU’s outreach to international partners, and enhancing the EU`s public diplomacy efforts.
AMENDMENT:
“So we need to be mobilised on all fronts and I want to ask you to do your part so that, as we often say, ‘Europe comes out of the crisis stronger’. This is an appeal to all of you to do whatever you can to make it a reality. Europe is being built on crises and we have to come out of the crisis stronger” the EU top diplomat said, while addressing the virtual congregation.
“The world needs an engaged European Union, able to act. But also Europeans need an engaged European Union, able to act. The world and we Europeans need a European Union ready to participate in the big changes that the world will be facing. And we need to act as if our reputation is on the line – because it is on the line”.