EU Programme for Emerging Leaders – First Edition Held in Brussels

Organised by the EU Delegation to the United Kingdom, the  EU Programme for Emerging Leaders brought together 15 outstanding young professionals from across the UK, including representatives from government, parliament and civil society - for an intensive week of high-level engagement with EU institutions.

 

EUD

Over the course of five days, participants met with senior officials from the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Parliament, and the Polish Presidency of the Council, among others. Additional sessions were held with the European Defence Agency, the European Institute for Security Studies, and Business Europe. The group was also welcomed by the UK Mission to the EU, further enriching the dialogue on current EU-UK relations.

The programme offered deep dives into critical areas including foreign and security policy, sanctions coordination, crisis response, defence cooperation, and the institutional mechanics of the EU. These first-hand encounters provided participants with a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of how the EU works and how it engages with partners like the United Kingdom.

Looking ahead, the EU Delegation sees strong potential to build on this first edition. Future iterations may expand the programme’s reach across the UK and could focus on specific sectors or thematic areas of strategic importance to the EU-UK relationship. This initiative underscores the EU’s commitment to fostering meaningful people-to-people connections, particularly in the context of a new chapter in EU-UK relations.