The basic background and chronology of our organisation bears witness to the fact that belonging to the European Union has been reflected, from the very earliest times, in the organisational structure of the Basque Government.

At present, the General Secretariat for External Affairs (Secretaría General de Acción Exterior) [es] (articles 13-18 of Decree 187/2006 [es]), at the heart of the Presidency of the Basque Government, assumes, among others, the function corresponding to Basque Government policy in relation to the European Union (EU). To this effect, it is the central axis of the Basque Government organisational structure in relation to the EU.

Bodies depending on the General Secretariat for External Affairs in relation to the EU:

Office of European Affairs (Dirección de Asuntos Europeos) [es] (article 16 of Decree 187/2006 [es]).

Delegation of the Basque Country in Brussels (Delegación de Euskadi en Bruselas) (article 17 of Decree 187/2006 [es]): the body that represents the Basque Country (Euskadi), as well as defending and promoting the multi-sectoral interests of the Basque Country at the EU Institutions.

Interdepartmental instruments:

Interdepartmental Committee for External Affairs (Comisión Interdepartamental de Acción Exterior) (Decree 127/2007 [es]): 'órgano colegiado adscrito a Lehendakaritza, para colaborar en la coordinación y planificación de la Acción Exterior entre los diferentes Departamentos del Gobierno.

Coordination measures to implement the intervention of the Basque Government in the preparation (ascending phase) and application (descending phase) of the normative and of the EU policies that affect Basque Country competences (Agreement of 16 October 1997 of the Delegate Committee for Economic Affairs) [es] (pdf, 67 KB).

The Vice-presidency of the Government also assumes certain functions in relation to the EU (additional disposition of Decree 187/2006 [es]).

In the same way, we must also point out that the Basque Government, through the General Secretariat for External Affairs, is an integral part of the Basque Network of European Information (Red Vasca de Información Europea - REVIE).