Visit the EU
European Union Visitors Program
The European Union Visitors Program (EUVP) was established by the European Parliament and the European Commission in 1974 to strengthen the EU's global ties.
What is the EUVP?
The European Union Visitors Program (EUVP) was established in 1974 to deepen ties and mutual understanding between the EU and the world beyond its borders.
The EUVP offers tailor-made five to 10-day study tours in Brussels and either Paris, Strasbourg, and/or a city in another EU Member State. As guests of the European Commission and the European Parliament, which jointly sponsor and administer the program, participants meet and learn from officials at EU institutions.
Activities during each visit are planned based on the participants’ individual interests and professional needs. The program covers travel costs, accommodation, per diem costs, and health and accident insurance. Visitors travel individually or as part of a group, depending on their individual interests, agenda and the timing of the program.
For more details on the program, please visit the EUVP website.
Who can participate?
Americans with a career-related interest in the European Union are invited to apply for the EU Visitors Program. EUVPs are political leaders, political advisers, activists, and opinion-makers who are interested in the priorities of the EU and in meeting their EU counterparts.
Eligible participants include government officials (local, state, and federal), journalists, trade unionists, educators, officials of non-profit and non-governmental organizations, and other young professionals aged 25-40.
Ideal candidates are professionals in a field in which their EUVP experience will enhance their understanding of EU-U.S. relations and contribute positively to their chosen career path and to transatlantic relations. Basic knowledge of EU institutions and their functioning is a plus, but not required.
Please note that the EUVP is not a program for students. Participants must have completed their university education or equivalent training and must have been employed for several years in their chosen career field.
The EUVP plays an important role in the EU's international relations. In addition to the United States, participants come from a large number of non-EU countries throughout the world. Non-U.S. applicants should contact the EU Delegation in the country in which they have citizenship.
Application Process
The EU Delegation in Washington, D.C., is responsible for receiving applications submitted from U.S. citizens. To apply, please complete the following application forms and email them to EUVP Coordinator Anna Prisco.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Application Form
- Statement of Purpose
To ensure that the program reflects your motivation for the visit, your desired topics and meetings, as well as your professional interests, the detailed statement of purpose should include a brief description of your current responsibilities, EU theme(s) you wish to examine, topics you wish to discuss with your counterparts, and ideas/requests for potential meetings at EU institutions.
EUVP participants are selected by a committee in Brussels, which is chaired jointly by representatives of the European Parliament and the European Commission. If selected, you will receive a list of possible starting dates throughout the next year for your visit. The EUVP Coordinator and the EUVP Secretariat in Brussels will work with you to identify a date and schedule that fits your needs.
Applications should be addressed to Anna Prisco, Press and Public Diplomacy Officer, at anna.prisco@eeas.europa.eu.
