European Union

The Delegation was established in 1979 as a Delegation of the European Commission. The entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty gave the European Union a single legal personality and provided for the European Union to succeed the European Community. 
The Delegation of the European Union to the International Organisations in Vienna is responsible for the representation of the European Union at the United Nations Organisations, at the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and at other International Organisations in Vienna.

The Delegation’s mandate covers the following main tasks:

• Ensure the representation of the European Union and its active participation in matters of specific EU interest at the United Nations organisations, related bodies or specialised agencies established in Vienna, in particular UNODC, IAEA, UNIDO, CTBTO, and other  international organisations and arrangements;
• Ensure the representation of the European Union at the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and its active participation in matters of specific EU interest; 
• Contribute to the development of relations and building partnerships based on shared principles through establishing  appropriate forms of cooperation;
• As part of the European External Action Service assist  the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who is also the Vice - President of the Commission in fulfilling her mandate to conduct the Common Foreign and Security Policy  of the Union and to ensure the consistency of the Union’s external action;
• Coordinate the EU positions and cooperate with the Member States of the European Union with a view to promoting EU policy objectives in the international organisations in Vienna in particular through contributing to formulating and implementing a common approach on matters of foreign and security policy;
• Enhance the visibility and understanding of the European Union, its role and policies through contacts and information activities in the international organisations in Vienna;
• Ensure the representation of the EU in political dialogue meetings with International Organisations, with third countries, and in major conferences and meetings  related to the activities of the organisations in Vienna;
• Safeguard the values, fundamental interests, principles and objectives of the  European Union, in particular democracy, rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect of human dignity, the principles of  equality and solidarity and respect of the United Nations Charter and international law.