The EU Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), with its headquarters in Brussels and activities in Brussels and Strasbourg, was opened in 1973.

The FES EU Office participates in the European integration process, backs and accompanies the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany in Europe and contributes to shaping the external relations of the European Union.

As an agency of dialogue, education and consultancy, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung thereby fulfils its special role as a ‘political network organisation’ for and with the various European institutions.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's European and worldwide network facilitates political, economic, social and environmental dialogue between Germany and Europe, within Europe and between Europe and the rest of the world and also at global level.

The EU Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Brussels uses a variety of different means to achieve its objectives: public conferences, closed expert seminars, visitor programmes and working visits for foreign guests, along with various publications.

The EU Office works with a number of partners

First and foremost, these include the European Parliament, the services of the European Commission, the General Secretariat of the Council, the office of the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee. Of course, it also has working contact with the Permanent Representation of the Federal Republic of Germany and the representations of other Member States, the liaison office of the German Bundestag, the represeantations of the German Bundesländer and representatives of German and European non-governmental organisations and companies in Brussels. NATO is also among its partners as well as the European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP), the newly formed European Network of Social Democratic Foundations (ENSoF) and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS).

The EU Office’s trade union-related activities focus on measures with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the European and international professional secretariats, the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), the Hans-Böckler-Stiftung and the liaison office of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB) in Brussels.

The EU Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) opened its doors on 2 October 1973 in Brussels, 16 years after the signature of the Treaties of Rome (1957). In the beginning, its main mission as a Liaison Office was to support international partners, trade unionists, civil society actors and business representatives in obtaining information and direct access to the institutions of the European Communities.

Integration of new policy areas

After the signatures of the Lomé Conventions (I & II) in 1975 and 1979, development cooperation – in particular with ACP countries – becomes a central pillar of the EU Office’s work. In the years to come, its portfolio was expanded to include more regions of the Global South, ASEAN, the Middle East and Latin America. After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, new tasks and fields of cooperation are added: Eastern Europe, enlargement and the broader question of the future of the EU. Since 2014, we have also been reinforcing our work on the future of European Foreign and Security Policies.

From the creation of the European Economic and Monetary Union, the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the Cotonou Agreement, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, the Eastern Enlargement, the European Neighbourhood Policy, to the European Pillar of Social Rights and the European Green Deal: The FES EU Office – together with its partners – continuously supports the formulation and implementation of EU policies, adapts its work to new challenges and integrates new policy areas to its portfolio. It employs a variety of different means to achieve its objectives: policy analysis, public conferences, closed expert seminars, visitor programmes, policy-oriented consultancy and publications. In 2021, two additional competence centres on the Future of Work and on Climate and Social Justice are opened to strengthen the overall work of the FES in Brussels.

Making progressive voices and perspectives from our partners heard in Brussels

Today, we – the FES EU Office, including our Liaison Office in Strasbourg – are focusing on six topics: Democracy and the fight against populism; Gender Equality & Human Rights; Migration & Integration; Foreign, Security & Defence Policy; Trade & Development Policy, Economic & Financial Policy; and European Trade Union Dialogue & Social Policy.

We provide expertise to our international and German network of progressive partners, always including members of the European and German Parliament, civil society, NGOs, the economy, trade unions and the media into the dialogue. But this is not a one-way street: To ensure that progressive voices and perspectives from our partners are heard in Brussels, we can rely on the knowledge and insights from over 100 FES offices worldwide. This approach remains just as relevant today as it was back in 1973.

We wholeheartedly thank each and every one of our partners for the excellent cooperation and joint efforts to shape and strengthen a social and democratic European Union throughout the years. We look forward to continuing this inspiring work for the challenging times ahead!

The entire Team of the FES EU Office