Junior Professionals in EU Delegations (JPD)
The purpose of this programme is to enable junior talented and promising university post-graduates who hold at least a Masters Degree from the Member States of the EU to gain first-hand experience in the work of Delegations and a deeper insight into their role in the implementation of EU external relations policies, including the Common Foreign Security Policy.
In principle Union Delegations accredited to third countries and to major international organizations are placed under the authority of the High Representative and represent the EU. Delegations act in close cooperation with Member States’ diplomatic and consular missions (art. 221 Treaty on the Functioning of the EU). They shall support the Member States in their diplomatic relations and in their role of providing consular protection to EU citizens in third countries (according to art. 35 Treaty on the EU). In most third countries (more than 125) the EU Delegation now has responsibility for locally representing the EU towards the host state. Where this is not the case, a Member State Embassy has agreed to represent the EU.
The EEAS plans to commit in 2013 credits covering the expenses of 2 JPD/traineeship positions per Member State (i.e. a total of 54 JPD for all Member States) to be deployed in the EU Delegations for political, press and information functions. The EEAS has identified a first list of Delegations to allocate in priority its 54 credits as well as a second list of priority Delegations.