About the EU at the UN

With the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009, the European Union has replaced and succeeded the European Community. Therefore, as from that date, the European Union will exercise all rights and assume all obligations of the European Community, including its status within the United Nations, whilst continuing to exercise all existing rights and assume obligations of the European Union.

In particular, the European Union will succeed to all agreements concluded and all commitments made by the European Community with the United Nations and to all agreements or commitments adopted within the United Nations and binding on the European Community.

As of 1 December 2009, the European Commission Delegation to the United Nations becomes the European Union Delegation, under the authority of the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms. Catherine Ashton, who will also be Vice-President of the Commission.

From 1 January to 30 June 2010 the Delegation of the European Union to the UN and the Permanent Mission of Spain to the UN will work jointly to represent the EU at the UN, on behalf of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Ashton.

EU High Representative Catherine Ashton (left) meeting UN Secrectary-General Ban Ki-moon

On 22 January, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to discuss the UN-coordinated relief efforts in Haiti, and both underlined their commitment to effective multilateralism.

Additional details about how the EU delegation will operate at the UN will follow shortly.

Learn more about the Lisbon Treaty

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